66 Volta on Animal E,lcBridty. 



formed of three condu(Slors, one of one clafs, and two dtf-*' 

 ferent from each other of another clafs, which come into 

 mutual contact with each other, and that this effeft will be 

 ftrontrcr the greater the difierence is between the latter: that 

 in Other cafes, where there are more than three different 

 condu(Slors, the elfeft either is not produced or will be pro- 

 duced in different degrees, according as the forces, called 

 forth by the different combinations, which will be expanded 

 at each heterogeneous contacl:, and which are often in op- 

 pofition and endeavour to impel the eleftric fluid in oppofite 

 directions, are perfeftly in equilibrium with each other, 

 (which muft be a very rare cafe) or when the fum of thofe 

 which exert themfelves in one direiSlion is more or lefs ex- 

 ceeded by the fum of thofe which aft in another direftion. 



I fliall here however leave the two complex combinations^ 

 and return to the fimple cafes, thofe with three different 

 condutl.ors, reprefented by fig. i, which are more demon- 

 flrative ; or, in other words, thofe with two different metals 

 or conduftors of the firft clafs which are in contaft with 

 each other, and are applied on the other fide to moift con- 

 duftors or conduftors of the fccond clafs. This method has 

 been commonly employed fince Galvani's difcovery, and is 

 in exaft proportion with the diverfity of metals on which I 

 confider the whole phenomena to depend. 



The other method of combination, which is expreffed by 

 fig, 2, or that of a metal placed between two different moift 

 conduftors, for example, between water on the one fide, 

 and an aqueov.s, faponaceous, or faline fluid on the other, 

 I difcovered in the autumn of 1794; and though fince that 

 period I have repeated the much \aried experiments of dif- 

 ferent perfons, both foreigners and others, among which 

 was that of M. Humboldt, and though I wrote to feveral 

 correfpondents refpecling it, that light has not yet been 

 thrown on this new phenomenon which it feems to deferve. 



The fingular circumftanee before mentioned, in regard to 

 the acid taiie when the tongue is -brought into contaft with 



