AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 489 



Storms, accompanied by lightning ; these are undoubtedly very important 

 questions in terrestrial physics. The atmosphere will be negative when the 

 shower approaches, positive while the same is pouring down, and negative 

 as it passes around us. The aurora borealis is no doubt composed of posi- 

 tive electricity, which floats constantly in the atmosphere with unchecked 

 liberty, and is attracted towards the pole, where floating through the par- 

 ticles of frozen ether, falls to the ice bound earth gradually, exerting all 

 the time partial discharges, which form the magnificent aurora ; and not- 

 withstanding it is a permanent phenomena, is only visible to us when the 

 atmosphere is in a peculiar state of transparency at night. Occasionally in 

 winter, after a few warm days, a strong cold west wind springs up, attended 

 by showers, lightning and thunder, which causes the thermometer to fall, 

 after which electricity abounds in all bodies on the surface, and is noticea- 

 ble on the hair of the human head, which stands on end, and obstinately 

 refuses to lay smooth, and as you pass your fingers through, follows them, 

 sometimes emitting electric sparks. Our coats and under clothing arq 

 charged with electricity, and emit a crackling sound as we throw them ofi"; 

 if you take a pair of woolen drawers and hold them suspended with one 

 hand, and draw the fingers of the other hand over them, they will appear 

 bathed in a blaze of light, and flashes of light will sparkle for a long time. 

 If you draw your hand over a dog's back, you will hear the crackings of 

 electricity. 



The ends of the ears of all animals, exposed to atmospheric influences, 

 under circumstances as above mentioned, are tipped with an electrical light. 

 I have seen a ball of electricity on the mast head of a ship in the gulf 

 stream. The ancients made use of an electric eel as a remedial agent for 

 the cure of paralytic and neuralgic diseases. The head of electric fish, 

 such as the eel, silure, torpedo, gymnotus, &c., is negative, and the tail 

 positive. If you rub a glass rod with a silk handkerchief, you disturb the 

 equilibrium of the electric fluid ; it is imparted to the glass by the silk, con- 

 sequently the former loses its electricity, and becomes negative, and the 

 latter acquiring it, becomes positive — electrical excitation is the cause of 

 either being in excess or free. Water is found to be a good conductor of 

 electricity, and may be called an electrolyte ; ice is a non conductor, and 

 consequently unsusceptible of electrolysis. All substances susceptible of 

 electrolytic action are probably compounds of single atoms. Protoiodide 

 and protochloride of tin are readily decomposed, but the biniodide and 

 bichloride are not. All metals when positive electrodes may be caused to 

 develop an odoriferous principle, and no metal more readily than iron and 

 nickel. 



There exists in man, and in all warm blooded animals, an electro vital 

 current of electricity, which passes continually from one extremity to the 

 other, and when it is weakened, disease sets in ; when stopped at any par- 

 ticular point, rheumatic pains exist ; when increased beyond our strength, 

 we are thrown into convulsions ; and if the currents are reversed we die. 

 I once had three friends, all of whom sufl"ered from colds, fevers, rheuma- 



