Note 25 bis — Chapter X · SODIUM CHLORIDE—BERTHOLLET'S LAWS—HYDROCHLORIC ACID
George Kamensky translation
Historically the influence of the mass of water was the first well-observed phenomenon in support of Berthollet's teaching, and it should not now be forgotten. In double decompositions taking place in dilute solutions where the mass of water is large, its influence, notwithstanding the weakness of affinities, must he great, according to the very essence of Berthollet's doctrine.
As explaining the action of the mass of water, the experiments of Pattison Muir (1879) are very instructive. These experiments demonstrate that the decomposition of bismuth chloride is the more complete the greater the relative quantity of water, and the less the mass of hydrochloric acid forming one of the products of the reaction.