fl9^ Ow ^^^ Elc^ricity excited hy the 



of the molftened difks. In this manner I continue coupling 

 a plate of filver with one of zinc, and always in the fame 

 order, that is to fay, the fih-er below and the zinc above it, 

 or vice verfa, according as I have begun, and iulerpofe be- 

 tween each of thefe couples a moillened difk. I continue 

 to form, of feveral of thefe ftories, a column as high as pof- 

 lible without any danger of its falling. 



But, if it contain about twenty of thefe ftories or couples 

 of metal, it will be capable not only of emitting figns of 

 ele6lricity by Cavallo's elcftromeler, affilled by a condenfer, 

 beyond ten or fifteen degrees, and of charging this condenfer 

 by m^re conta£l ib as to make it emit a fpark, Sec. but of 

 giving to the fingers with which its extremities (ihe bottoni 

 and top of the column) have been touched feveral fmall 

 fliocks, more or lefs frequent, according as ihe touching has 

 been repeated. Each of thefe fliocks has a perfe6l refem- 

 blance to that flight fljock experienced from a Leyden flafk 

 weakly charged, or a battery ftill more weakly charged, or a 

 torpedo in an exceedingly languidiing (late, which imitates 

 ilill better the effedls of my apparatus by theferies of re- 

 peated fliQcks which it can continually communicate. 



To obtain fuch flight fliocks from this apparatus which 

 I have defcribed, and which is ftill too fmall for great effects, 

 it is neceflary that the fingers, with which the two extre- 

 mities are to be touched at the fame time, fliould be dipped 

 in water, fo that the flciri, which otherwife is not a good 

 condu6lor, may be well moiftened. To fucceed with more 

 certainty, and receive ftronger fliocks, a communication 

 muft be made, by means of a metallic plate fufficiently large, 

 or a large metallic wire, between the bottom of the column 

 (that is to fay, the lower piece of metal,) and water contained 

 in a bafon or large cup, in which one, two, or three fingers, 

 or the whole hand is to be immerfed, while vou touch the 

 top or upper extremity (the uppermoft or one of the upper- 

 nioft plates of the column) with the clean extremity of an- 

 other metallic plate held in the other hand, which muft be 

 vtrv molft, and embrace a large furface of the plate helc} 

 vcrv faft. By proceeding in this manner, I can obtain a' 

 fuiall pricking or flight fliock in one or two articulalions oi 



a fincer 



