THE 
PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE. 
OCTOBER 1790. 
I. Obfervations on Animal EleGricity, and particularly that 
called Spontaneous. By J.J. HEMMER*. 
Unorr Animal Ele&ricity I underftand that kind ob- 
ferved in animals, from whatever caufe it may arife. When 
‘this electricity is excited in animals, neither by the peculiar 
movement of their own bodies, nor by friétion, or the appli- 
cation of any other body, it is called Spontaneous Animal 
EleGricity. We are taught by many inftances, both an- 
cient and modern, that men, as well as other animals, have 
exhibited evident figns of ele&tricity; although the ancients, 
who mention thefe inftances, did not know to what the 
phenomenon was to be afcribed. It may not be improper, 
therefore, to quote here fome of the moft remarkable of them. 
I, We are told by Virgil, that the hair of Afcanius emitted 
a harmlefs kind of flame t. 
Ecce levis fummo de vertice vifus Iuli 
Fundere lumen apex, ta€tuque innoxia molli 
Lambere flamma comas, et circum tempora pafci. 
Nos pavidi trepidare metu, crinemque flagrantem 
Excutere, et fanétos reftinguere fontibus ignes. 
* From the Tran/atlions of ibe Eleétoral Academy of Sciences at. Maz 
beim, Vol. VI. 
* ZEncid, Lib. II. v. 582. 
Vou. V. B Tl. We 
