3 1 8 New "Eletlrical Experiments 



above kind, a fimilar iron wire, 36 inches in length, was- 

 thoroughly ignited, fo that it became blue, and foon oxydated 

 at the furface. On this occafion, a phenomenon never be- 

 fore obferved took place. At the moment of charging, the 

 whole furface was covered with an exceedingly lively light, 

 that could even be obferved in the open day, and which in 

 darknefs appeared to be an inch in diameter. The (hock alfa 

 was much ftronger than ufual. 



Adifcharge on pieces of quartz rounded the corners ana 

 points very perceptibly, and even fufed fame parts of the 

 Hone. 



18. Experiments with the ba&iery to afcertain the cattfo of 

 death in thofe Jlruck with lightning. — This caufe is generally 

 afcribed to the irritability of the mufcnlar fibre being de- 

 itroved. Now, as animals hitherto have never loft their lives 

 immediately by electric ihocks, but have been lamed or thrown 

 into convulfions, it appeared doubtful whether an electric fhock 

 could actually deprive the mufcular fibres of their irritability. 

 Tor thi3 rcafon Dr. Van Marum in his experiments employed 

 eels, which, as is well known, even when cut into three, 

 four, or fix parts, and when deprived of the head, ftill retain 

 fiVns of irritability. Thefe eels were a foot and a half in 

 length, ami the fhock was conveyed through the whole body. 

 Bv thefe means they were inliantly killed, and never moved 

 afterwards. Thcv were immediately fkinned, and trial was 

 made, bv pinching, pricking, See. whether any irritability 

 remained; but no traces of any were perceptible even when 

 pretty large fparks were drawn from thefe parts. The 

 ftrongeft falts were attended with as little effect. 



When the fhock was made to pafs through individual partSj 

 for example the head, thefe only loft their irritability, while 

 the reft retained it. When the head was kept free from the 

 {hock, the remaining parts only were lamed.' The fame ex- 

 periments were feveral times repealed on eels of 3.' feet in 

 length, and with the fame refults. When tbe fhock was 

 made to pafs through the upper and fore-part of the head of 

 larce eels, the undcr-jaw, as well as the mufcles of the neck 

 and belly, and even the lower part of the body, retained their 

 irritability, while it was completely dtliroyed in the party 



• vhron'tih 



