J 



[v. 189 ] 



XXXIII. 'JnteUlgerice and Mifcellaneoiis Articles, 

 J^ovemb^ 1 801. . 



TOURDES, profefiur in the School of Medicine at Strafr 

 burgh, has lately comnnuiicated the following notice on this 

 fnbjed; to pr()fe{lbr Volta.:— " The confidence and friendlliip 

 <)f which you have foc^ten givv'i> mc proofs during my refi- 

 dencc in Italy, eniboklcn me to cpuinumicate, to yoii the re- 

 fuit of an experiment which appears ton^e to refolye pne of 

 the mod difputed points of phyfiulogy, that of the vitality of 

 the blood. This Ijqv^i,^ <^kpi;\vtd <>t the Icriim, ly.iuph, &c. re- 

 duced to the fibrous part, and fubjctSled to , your galvanic or 

 rather eleclric apparatus, (for the identity of the galvanic 

 and eleclric fluids have been eftabiinied in an iacoateftablc 

 manner by your late refearches.) at the temperature of about 

 ^6 degrees of Reaumur, exhibited a trembling ofcillation and 

 palpitation aualogous to thoie experienced by llcfli of animal^ 

 ixcwly kiljed ; 9. double vi,Qtio7i_ of co7,i.txa£i'i'jn and d'llatatiov^ 

 fenfible to the eye by means ofa magnifying glafs ; a cljaraci- 

 tcriftic mark of the vital force pp,ci^Jur, .to thc,nmlcIcS;,. .ce|» 

 lular tiffue," &c. ' .'!? ' ■ ' . .'^1./' .-Mj 



Since our laft publication fome Interefiing, ex'pcriuienis 

 have been performed with the circuit of Volta that have given, 

 refults which, though analogous to facls before kho^yn, we,i;t; 

 equally new and interefting, and ferve to. prove that.wc are as 

 yet only entering the threl'jold of the iiiquiry refpefting 1(9,- 

 powers, anJ ihe purpofes to which it it may hereafter be ap- 

 plicable. ,.,;/„, Si, . ' t-'r..X- 



1 he experiments alluded to were performed by t^e Af- 

 kefian Society on the 4th inftantj being their fecouu mcetiilg 

 for the prefent fcilion. - ' . V "■^^'-i-i 



The battery coulified of two troughs, each containing, ^o* 

 plates of fii\er, and an equal nujnber of zinc; in all J2,o 

 pairs of metallic plates, each aj inches fquarc, or containing 

 5,', fquare inches of furface. 



By means of this battery the Society deflagrated gpld.with 

 great facility. The gold in thin leaves was gonnededwiib. 

 one end of the batterv, and, on belm:; brought into eontadt. 

 with the exterior plate of the other end to complete the circuit,, 

 inllantly inflamed. The couibuflion only went on at thof^s, 

 points in which tlie g<jld leaf and the plate were in conta«^,; 

 and eeafed entirely unU-is the gold was kept advancing a^ainli 

 ihe plate, to fupply, by frcfli portions brought into coi'itait,; 

 3 the 



