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XVI. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



JL HERE was no meeting on the lad Thurfday in May, 

 on account of Whitfun week. 



On the 4th of June a description of a new aftronomical 

 instrument was read ; as was alio a meteorological journal, 

 kept at Clifton, near Briftol. 



June 11. An account of a method of preparing, in the hu- 

 mid way, a Similar fub (lance to James's powders. By Richard 

 Chenevix, Efq. 



Alfo an account, by Mr. Ware, of the removal of cataracts 

 from the eyes of a boy who had been blind from his infancy; 

 with a detail of the child's observations on firft beholding 

 forms. 



June 18. A curious and highly interefting paper on gal- 

 vanifm, by Mr. Daw, containing an account of fome gal- 

 vanic combinations formed by the arrangement of Single me- 

 tallic plates with different Strata of fluids analogous to the pile 

 of fignor Volta. All thefe combinations are formed by the 

 arrangement of' different chemical agents with fingle me- 

 tallic plates. The mod powerful clais may be formed by 

 arranging plates of copper or filver, and cloths moiftened, 

 fome in nitrous acid, fome in Solution of fulphuret of potafb, 

 and fome in Solution of fulphate of potafli, in the following 

 order: metallic plate, acid, Solution of fulphate of potafli, 

 Solution of fulphuret of potafh ; — then, if the Specific gravities 

 of the fluids are in the order of their arrangement, i. e. that 

 of the acid greater!:, and that of the folution of fulphuret leaft, 

 but little mixture or chemical action between them will take 

 place. Twelve plates of copper arranged in this way give 

 fenfible Shocks, and rapidly produce the common appearances 

 in water. In all the galvanic combinations with fingle plates, 

 the metallic furface which oxidates is the furface which in 

 the circuit with wires produces hydrogen from water, 



On the fame evening were read fome additions, by Dr. 

 Hulme, to his paper of laft year, on the Spontaneous light 

 emitted by various bodies. Some very curious experiments were 

 detailed refpe£ting the immerfion of the luminous bodies in 

 the different gafes,and the effects thereby produced upon them. 



On the 25th there was read a highly interefting paper on 



the identity of the galvanic and electric fluids, by Dr. VVoo- 



latton. The doctor has fucceeded in decomposing water by 



means of common electricity, as rapidly as by the pile of 



6 F 3 Volta, 



