SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 299 



of the metallic pile : it is an animal pile ; and the production 

 of the galvanic fluid, or electricity, by the direct or indepen- 

 dent energy of life in animals, can no longer be doubted. 



The ProfefTbr has lately repeated the feries of thefe experi- Thefe experi- 

 ments at Oxford, and (hewed in the prefence of Dodors Pegg ^oxfordf^ 

 and Bancroft, that the nerves of a prepared frog, difpofed in 

 the manner here ftated, approach very fenfibly to the mufcles 

 of the warm-blooded animal, and exhibit a real attraction hi^ Animal attract. 

 therto unknown in natural philofophy and phyfiology. He ' 

 invites philofophers to vary and repeat this phenomenon, 

 which has been confirmed by different philofophers, particu- 

 larly by the celebrated Felice Fontana of Florence. Galvanifm verified, 

 by thefe facts, is (hewn to be animal electricity, not merely 

 paffive, but mod probably performing the mod important func- 

 tions in the animal economy. This power appears not to be 

 confined in its operation to the motion of the mufcles, but alfo 

 appears to be of importance in the fecretions. Aldini has given Galvanifm ope- 

 ftrength to this conjecture, by fubjecting the urine to the power rate ? in tne ic ~ 

 of the artificial galvanic ftream, and he found it productive of a 

 feparation of the principal combined parts of that fluid, which 

 were considered as of much importance by the celebrated Pro- 

 feflbrs Senebierand Jurine, of Geneva. 



A very ample feries of experiments were made by Profeflbr 

 A. which (hew the eminent and fuperior ( power of galvanifm 

 beyond any other ftimulant in nature. In tha months of Janu- Aftoniihing ef- 

 ary and February laft, he had the courage to apply it at Bo-^ s ° nhumaa 

 logna to the bodies of various criminals who had fufTered death 

 at that place, and by means of the pile he excited the remain- 

 ing vital forces in a mod aftoniihing manner. This ftimulus Contortions of 

 produced the moft horrible contortions and grimaces by the tl ' e mu £ c,es > &c« 

 motions of the mufcles of the head and face ; and an hour and 

 a quarter after death, the arm of one of the decollated bodies the arm lifted 

 was elevated eight inches from the table on which it was fup- U P* 

 ported, and this even when a confiderable weight was placed 

 in the hand. Thefe experiments have fince been confirmed 

 in various parts of Italy, particularly at Turin, by Profetfbrs 

 Giulio, Vaflali, and Rofli. I 



Thefe are not experiments of pure curiofity, but offer very Thefe experi- 

 encouraging profpects for the benefit of mankind, in diforders ments P romife , 

 of the head, and in apoplexies. Profeflbr Aldini means to apply the curTof dtf- 

 ' p ar t orders. 



