of the Mediterranean. 25S 



rist, that what has since been called the nervous energy, must be 

 analogous to the electric fluid ; and that the nerves served for 

 the transmission of both. He illustrated his theory by the ef- 

 fects produced on the animal system by the Sirocco, or winds 

 either partially or wholly deficient of their natural electricity. 

 By the researches of Abemethy, Phillips, Bichat and Le Gal- 

 lois, this conjecture of Brydon's has been much supported, so 

 far as the analogy between the nervous energy and the galvanic 

 fluid is concerned. It is well ascertained, that in damp or hazy 

 weather none of the electric fluid can be collected ; and, as the 

 air of the Sirocco can receive no electrical impregnation, by 

 sweeping over a dry and flat desert of sand ; so the moisture, 

 which it acquires in its passage subsequently over the sea, n.ust 

 give it a strong absorbing and conducting power for electricity. 

 The consequence is, that this moist wind, coming in contact 

 with bodies possessed of more electricity, will rob them of part 

 of their electric fluid, until an equilibrium is effected between 

 the earth and the air, — the grand final cause of all electrical 

 phenomena. Now, as the human body readily parts with and 

 receives electricity, and as an object, on the surface of the earth, 

 must be a ready point for the transmission of the fluid, it can- 

 not be supposed that it is physically exempt from those electrical 

 influences which such winds produce on the rest of matter, but 

 must lose a portion of the constituent fluid it previously posses- 

 sed, — which loss is followed by all those symptoms of depressed 

 energy already noticed. 



The animal body, then, may be deprived by the atmosphere, 

 in a series of degrees, of that energy which, if it is not the pro- 

 duce of the living functions, is at least the natural portion of 

 electricity which the body possesses in common wiih surround- 

 ing objects at the time. Life may even be extinguished from 

 the highest operation of this cause, as often happens during 

 thunder storms, when no marks of physical injury can be de- 

 tected. 



The different electric states of the different winds are pretty 

 well ascertained by stationary electrometers ; and, though I had 

 none regularly in my possession, I found natural phenomena 

 themselves to afford both excellent and beautiful proofs of this 

 quality in the several winds. The summer of 1825 presented 



