]24 EFFECT OFGAtVlNISM IN MET Alt IC AnBCTRrZATrONS; 



SO fdr a» to find in' it a new ronfiirnation of the'tnrth of the 

 theory heve j^iven. Lt*t us lir;^t tuke the srruplest case, and 

 supiwjse, that we have ei<tabli»!)ed the comiTmnication be- 

 tween lilt' two gl:».sses of water by means oisr piece of wet 

 paper Or linen. It is evident, that in this'cabe the water 

 .contained in these two substances alone produce? tfie com- 

 m;*nication ; since the iiuen and paper, when tborougldy 

 dry, comport themselves as nooeouductorg^ or at least asi 

 badly conducting substancesi. Thus lher« is nothiujj here 

 to perplex us, except a delusive appearance i and every 

 thing ought to go on, as if the poles were immersed in a 

 siuj^le vesisel of water. Now let us substitute our fingers 

 instead of wet paper, and consider, tbat all the muscular 

 parts of an animal are imprej^nated with an abundant 

 quantity of uqueous fluids, the elementary principles of 

 which are equally capable of acquiring the galvanic pehtrky, 

 and consequently experiencing the same successive ex- 

 change as those of tlie water contained in the pa|>er. These 

 considerations are sufficient to show, that, in the experi- 

 ment which at first sight appeared incuHipHtible with our 

 theory, every thing is in reality conformable to it. The 

 property of almost all imperfect conductws impregnated 

 with moisture, to become secondary piles when they are 

 placed in the circuit of the secondary pile of Volta, proves 

 the real existence of the electrogalvanic polarity between 

 the particles of water: but what evinces^ that the commu- 

 nication between the water in the two glasses is established 

 SioFely by the aqueous humours with which our organs are 

 impregnated, is, if we substitute for these orj^ans a dry 

 substance, though a good conductor, as a wire of gold or 

 platina, the developement of hidrogen and osigen both 

 will immediately take place in each of the two vessels. 

 2d objection b. The second and much inferior difficiilty consists in 

 rfcconnling for the difference perceived between the dccom-* 

 position of water produced by an electric machine, and that 

 effected by the pile. In thelirst the two principles of water, 

 "■■KtH »0 « according to Dr. Wollaston, are always evolved mixed togn- 

 .\Ji*rr,'j .-ther 5 wliil4j tb€ pile separates them in a pure state, and at 

 «»^crpd, '^ distance from each other. The reason of this no doubt 

 is, in thedpctrofhotive apparatus the two electric fluids 

 - «je imrnediutely in cQUtjict, whence follows an uninter- 

 rupted 



