On Sonorous Fihrailons. 251 



disengagement produce, by their succession, v/inds and 



cloud?. 



All the metals contain electrooene, and they do not oxi- 

 date but in regard to their affinity with it. It is the cause 

 of crystallization by the dry method. 



The weakenmg of the affinity of electrogene with the bases 

 of the air, bv means of the solar rays, gives birth to vegeta- 

 tion. Animal life is also attributed to electrogene. It 

 enters with oxyen into the blood of animals by respiration ; 

 it is decomposed by this fluid, and its elementary base con- 

 stitutes, in the brain and the nervous system, the principle 



of irritability. 



M. Schm'idl attributes still other effects to this new being; 

 but he does not distinguish them well enough from those of 

 caloric, oxvaen, and attraction. His theory, although curi- 

 ous, is norsufficiently supported by facts to entitle it to 

 much attention. 



XLVIII. Utter of JSI. Ousted, Professor of Philosophy at 

 Copenhager?, to Professor Pictet of Geneva, upon Sono- 

 rous Vibrations *. 



Copenhagen, May 26, 1785. 

 SIR, 



The impartial interest whlckyou take in every thing tend- 

 ing to accelerate the progress of science, has made me 

 desirous, for a long time past, of establishing a correspon- 

 dence with vou. I take the opportunity of a traveller going 

 to Geneva, lo deliver to you the results of some of my re- 

 searches in^ phvsics. I have chosen as the subject of my 

 present letter, tl'ie experiments I have repeatedly made, upon 

 the effects produced in the interior of solid bodies durmg 

 the propagation of motion. I have been led to these re- 

 searches b"y both antient and modern observations upon 

 sound. Every body is acquainted with the interesting dis- 



• From Bdliothenuc Britanniqnc, vol. xxl. 



covoiy 



