• N THE GALVANIC PHKN'OMENA. 14-1 



from a fmall jar charged in this manner, a great number of 

 iimilar {parks from a large jar, and almoft without limit from 

 batteries, as I am a&ually able to draw them without limit of 

 number from the apparatus itfeif. 



I have informed you, that large bottles charged in this Strong fhocks 

 manner gave me moderate fiiocks, and batteries pretty ftrong J™^™^*" 

 ones, as high as the elbow, and higher ; that the (hocks of a 

 battery of 10 fquare feet of coating, and charged in lefs than 

 a twentieth part of a feeond by one of my apparatufes of 200 

 metallic pairs, are very violent and almoft infupportable ; for 

 I have not yet made any trial with larger batteries ; but that 

 there is every probability that the violence of the (hocks in- 

 creafes with the fize of the batteries, as far as a certain term, 

 which I am not able to define ; fo that it would be poffible, 

 w^ith batteries of 4-0, 60, and 100 fquare feet, to give confi- 

 derably ftrong (hocks, by charging them by the tranfient con- 

 tact of a pile only 60, 40, 30, or ftill fewer pairs. 



J have explained to you the manner in which one ought to Cautions inorde* 

 proceed in order to perform thefe experiments with fuccefs ; ^axmtm ^j^. 

 that it is particularly neceflary we (hould carefully avoid the tery by galvan- 

 flighted interruptions in the communications of the conductors " m * 

 with the coatings of the bottles, and between each other, and 

 that this becomes ftill more necelfary when the electromotive 

 apparatus, being compofed of a fmall number of pairs, pof- 

 felfes but little power, fo as to be unable to overcome the 

 flighteft obftacle that might oppofe the paflage and the courfe 

 of the electric fluid. 



Laftly, I remarked to you, that thefe experiments confirm TH« pile moves 

 in a very evident manner what all the others already fuggefted, J u ™ntity ofelec- 

 namely, that the quantity of electric fluid let in motion by my tricky than any 

 apparatus is much larger for every moment of time than that maciune » 

 which is fet in motion by the ordinary electrical machines; 

 that the former aiford it in much greater abundance than the 

 latter, when the object is to produce, not an accumulation of 

 electric fluid in infulated bodies, in order to raiie the electri- 

 city to a high degree of tenfion, which may be done with 

 thofe machines, but by no means with piles and other fimilar 

 apparatufes, unlefs we alio employ condenfers ; but where we 

 require a conftant current of this fluid, fupported by a con- 

 tinued action of a circle of condenfers not infulated ; nay, one 

 of my apparatufes, of only 60 or. 30 metallic pairs, pours out 



