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XXXIX. On the Electric Fluid. 

 To Mr. Tilloch. 



SiK, — JN Read's *' Summary View of the spontaneous Electri» 

 city of the Earth and Atmosphere" (1793) is the following 

 passage : — " Some vears since, I saw Mr. Volta obtain a very small 

 quantity of electricity from the fumes of a mixture of water, oil 

 of vitriol, and filings of iron." It aj^jears to me that this mode 

 of excitino; the elfctric fltiid bears great resemblance to a gal- 

 vavic process. In this experiment there were two fluids and one 

 metal used. The writer docs not mention whether the ingredients 

 were put into a metallic vessel. If thev were, (which is not very pro- 

 bable,) tliere is a greater similarity to the usual galvanic processes, 

 supposing th.e vessel madcof a different metal from the filings used. 



It is well known that electrical effects are produced by drop- 

 ping a burning coal into a metallic vessel containing water. Docs 

 not this also resemble wliat is called Galvanism? I wish to 

 Induce persons to make both the above experiments, and accu- 

 rately note down the particulars observable, and I think it probable 

 that some interesting facts might result from tlie ex|)crlment. 



If a number of vessels for the experiments were arranged like 

 Volta's cotiroiine de tusscs, perhaps (for it is only conjecture) a, 

 considerable accumulation of the electric fluid might, as iu 

 Volta's experiment, be obtained 



I believe it has been wished by some electricians, that a single 

 ■word should be adopted for the electric fluid. I know of no better 

 than FuLGoRic, the matter occasioning lightning ; and although 

 I am not very fond of new wbrds, 1 shall venture to propose this. 

 We might use fr/.lgoric alone, or call it the fu Igor ic or electric 

 Jluid occasionally, 



It appears to me that of late the two states of electricity, the 

 plu<i and viinvs, have been considered as a stale of condensation 

 and rarefacliofi ; which seems to be very pro})er; for do not many 

 of the electrical phrenomeua bear a great resemblance to the 

 phnsnumcna observed in pneumatic experiments ? By this I 

 would be understood to mean. Do they not seem to be caused by 

 a condensed elastic fluid rushing violently to mix with another 

 portion of the fluid in a comparatively more rare state, and 

 thence producing an eqtdlihrlum of density ? If this opinion be 

 just, may not (as has been before suggested in your ^Iagazine) 

 the conductor annexed to the cushion of a common electrical ma- 

 chine be compared to the receiver of a rarefying air-pump, and 

 the conductor before the glass cylinder, to the receiver of a CQ7i- 

 denslng machine, or, as it miglit be called, a condensing air-pump ^ 

 The above is submitted to the consideration of your readers, 

 hoping for their remarks. 



Wuicli 20, 1815. A FRmND TO PHYSICAL iNaUIRlES, 



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