Note 66 — Chapter I · ON WATER AND ITS COMPOUNDS

Such a phenomenon frequently presents itself in purely chemical action. For instance, let a liquid substance A give, with another liquid substance B, under the conditions of an experiment, a mere minute quantity of a solid or gaseous substance C. This small quantity will separate out (pass away from the sphere of action, as Berthollet expressed it), and the remaining masses of A and B will again give C; consequently, under these conditions action will go on to the end. Such, it seems to me, is the action in solutions when they yield ice or vapour indicating the presence of water.