204 Dr. Hare’s Galvanic Deflagrator. 
the experiment was made. While they were in connexion, 
provided the coils were lifted out of the acid, so as to hang 
in the air merely, then the power of the common galvanic 
battery would pass through the Deflagrator, which appeared 
to aet simply as a conductor, and as might have been expect- 
ed, when so extensive a conductor was used, the power of 
the common battery was, in this case, considerably dimin- 
ished, while that of the Deflagrator did not act at all. 
If, while things were in this situation, the coils of the 
Deflagrator, without being plunged, were lowered so far as 
merely to dip their inferior extremities, say only one fourth 
of an inch in the acid, the communication was immedi- 
ately arrested, and all effect destroyed almost as com- 
pletely, as when the coils were wholly immersed. Thus it 
appears that the inability to act, in connexion with the com- 
mon galvanic battery, depends upon the relation of the fluid” 
and metal, and not upon that of the metals merely. These 
experiments should be repeated, with the aid of the insula- 
ting laced so as to receive the coils of your ma- 
I should be very curious to know whether the ef- 
fects would be the same ; and as I now have the glasses, I 
discuss, on your own peculiar theory. 
I would state that the mode of connecting the two batteries 
was varied in every form which occurred, not only to myself, 
but to several able scientific gentlemen, who were present 
at these experiments, and who were equally with myself 
surprised and confounded by their results. 
I congratulate you upon the brilliant additions which 
ou have made to our experimental means, in this depart- 
ment of knowledge; along with your invention of the com- 
pound blowpipe, they fairly entitle you to the gratitude of 
the scientific world, notwithstanding the uncandid attempts 
which, in relation to the blowpipe, I am sorry to see, are 
still persevered in, to deprive you of the credit which you 
sorichly deserve. 
I remain, as ever, your friend and servant, 
B. SILLIMAN. 
Prof. Rossrt Harg, M. D. 
