4S2 Remarks on the Phenomena of Galvanism. [Jvsk^ 



is a redundancy at one end, and a deficiency, or less than tlie 

 natural quantity of this fluid, at the opposite end of the galvanic 

 arrangement; and we are likewise required by the same authority to 

 believe, that the individual particles of this fluid are violently re- 

 pulsive of themselves; and yet, with this repulsion towards each 

 other, they crowd and condense themselves at one end of the battery, 

 although every part of this galvanic combination is a conducting 

 medium. The other popular electrical theory admits of two distinct 

 fluids, the particles of which are supposed to be strongly repulsive 

 of th.ose of their own kind; hut at the same time are violently 

 attractive of the particles of the contrary fluid. 



In the application of this theory, to illustrate the action of the 

 voltaic battery, we are led to believe that the electricities of the 

 battery are separated, that the particles of the vitreous fluid are 

 collected at one, and the particles of the resinous fluid are collected 

 at the opposite, end of the battery. Therefore if we follow the 

 changes that must take place according to this theory, they will 

 appear truly extraordinary ; for these contrary fluids, which are 

 supposed to have so great an attraction for their opposite kind, must 

 have passed each otlier in their progress from one part of the battery 

 to the other, and have collected in great quantities at the contrary 

 ends, although the particles of each fluid thus collected are 

 violently repulsive of themselves. 



The above results, agreeably to this theory, take place in tlie 

 battery while every part is a conducting medium, which, according 

 to all the well-known laws of electricity, would counteract any such 

 unnatural accumulation. These, as well as other complicated difh- 

 culties, must liave been evident to every one who has paid attention 

 to electrical theories; and several writers have substituted a phraseo- 

 logy that gives a more specious illustration to certain results, but at 

 the same time involves the whole subject in greater obscurity; for 

 an attempt has been made to explain some of the most interesting 

 effects in galvanism, by what are termed " electrical energies," 

 without supposing the existence or action of any distinct galvanic or 

 electric matter. 



This vague and general notion may give a plausible solution to 

 the transfer of small bodies through a fluid medium, by supposing 

 that the electrical character of the wires from the battery influences 

 and gives a similar character to the particles of the fluid medium 

 that come in contact with them, and that these portions of the 

 medium influence or give a corresponding electrical character to 

 their adjoining particles. That this communicating principle of the 

 electrical energies may extend itself through the whole of the me- 

 dium, and produce the transfer in question, does not appear very 

 improbable : but this principle will not readily explain the heating 

 and melting of steel wire when placed in the circuit of the battery; 

 for vve can scarcely imagine that the particles of a steel wire ten or 

 twelve inches long, which are evidently held together by a stronger 

 cohesive force than the particles of any other bodv in nature, can be 



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