UNDULATORY FORCER ELECTRICITY. [PHTSIOIXXIIOAL EFFECTS. 



termed water battery ; and, for the purposes we have 

 named, it* two polos, which should be plat inn wires, are 

 to be immened in a mineral solution. An iiatiir.il pn>- 

 nMiinn are always alow, ao the results of the action of 

 the electric cum-nt, in these cases, must be greatly pro- 

 longed. A microaoope is often required to detect the 

 first formation of crystals ; and much patience and care 

 are required to obtain a successful result 



By means of a moderate battery power, aome Tory 



tting results may bo obtained from various metallic 



Holu- mgct them we may mention the pro- 



brilliant metallic rings on a steel plate ; and 



the deposition of metals in veins similar to those we 



observe in nature. The two following experiments 



illustrate each process. 



x-ni 49. NMlPt Ringt. These are most 

 beautiful rings, formed on a piece of steel by means of a 

 small galvanic battery. To produce them, place a sheet 

 of polished steel in a plate containing a solution of sugar 

 of lead, and attach the steel plate to the wire coming 

 from the jJatina end of three cells of Gr 

 batter)-. Hold the wire from the zinc end in the solu- 

 witliin an eighth of an inch over the centre of the 

 steel plate. Beautiful rings of the oxide of lead will be 

 at once produced ; and in a few seconds the steel should 

 be removed, and carefully washed in distilled water. 

 This is one of the prettiest effects produced by a galvanic 

 battery, and the colours obtained are similar to those 

 observed on mother-of-pearl. Care must be taken to 

 make no mistake with reference to the wires in placing 

 them in the solution. 



The next experiment, if carefully performed, illustrates 

 the formation of metallic veins, such as are found in 

 copper mines. 



i-imentBO. To produce Minerals l>y mtans of Elec- 

 tricity. For this purpose, half-fill a garden-pot, six 

 inches deep, with plaster of Paris, by stirring some of 

 this powder in a basin of water, and pouring the mixture 

 into the porous pot, where it must remain until it 

 becomes solid. Solder a copper wire to a piece of zinc and 

 a piece of copper, so that the two metals may be placed, 

 one in the inside of the pot, and the other so that the 

 pot may rest on it, and cover the intermediate wire with 

 sealing-wax. Fill a basin, say to a depth of four inches, 

 with a strong solution of sulphate of copper, adding to it 

 a little sulphuric acid. In this basin place a piece of 

 copper, and on the metal place the pot. Bend the wire 

 so that the zinc may rest inside the pot, and touching the 

 plaster of Paris ; and fill the inside with a solution of 

 common salt. Having done this, throw a cloth over the 

 whole arrangement, and leave it for two or three weeks, 

 replacing the Ions of liquid, both in the basin and 

 pot, by occasionally adding some water. At the end 

 of the time named, on breaking the pot and plaster 

 in half, it will be seen that the copper has crept in and 

 assumed various beautiful forms, in some places it will 

 Pig. jg. be observed in crystals ; 



in others as a layer of a 

 rich blue or purple colour; 

 and if the lump be dried, 

 it will form a complete 

 counterpart of a natural 

 mineral. We have suc- 

 : with iron and 

 other metals, by using 

 tin-in instead of < 

 which, however, wo have 

 B li the. buln holding the copper to- m vcn as being the easiest 



lutlon ; C, the plw of copper on .._.._,? w ;*h To 



which O. the (rd-pot, rwu ; I. I 



putter of I'ari* in the pat; W, the assist in constructing one 



copper wire covered with .eilinir. o f tnege interesting ar- 



Sn^The 2SJW12V '' rangements, we annlx an 

 engraving, and a description of the various parts to 

 which wo have referred. 



Considerable sensation was produced, some years ago. 

 by the statement, that insects of the acanis kin<l had 

 been prodm , through long-oootinued 



voltaic actioi d solutions, after being el> 



* few weeks, seemed to produce an abundance of these 



insects ; although great care had been t& 



extraneous circumstances fn>m int. i firing with tint ex- 



\\. U-licve Unit Mr. \Vcckes, of Saml 

 repeated these ox]>eiiments, ami obtained partial HUCOBM. 

 The ideaof such a metli<l of |.;-..dn urea 



was so repugnant to theory and common senw, that it 

 has been supposed some eggs of the insect had been 

 accidentally present, and that time, electricity, ami heat 

 had eventually caused them to be hatch.-. 1. We re- 

 peated the experiments exactly as they were descrilx-d 

 by Mr. Crosse, with the exception that every possible 

 care was taken to prevent the access of fresh atmospheric- 

 air, which is always loaded with germs of all kinds ; ami, 

 like most other experimenters, we mot with no success. 

 We can only hint, to say the least, that it was a most 

 strange occurrence that electricity should produce a 

 tolerably perfect organised insect, such as those of the 

 acarus kind. One would naturally suppose, in the 

 absence of all extraneous interfering causes, that nature 

 would have presented us with creatures of a more ele- 

 mentary kind of organisation as the result of electric 

 action. We must, however, dismiss the subject, and 

 leave our readers to draw their own inferences as to the 

 results and the circumstances which were connected with 

 the experiments. 



The "results," published by Mr. Crosse, have actually 

 been quoted as instances of spontaneous generation, by 

 some who, however, have been more noted for the 

 boldness than the exactitude of their speculations. 



THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF VOLTAIO 

 KLECTRICITY. 



Ix our remarks on the effects of frictional electricity on 

 animals, or on the human frame, it will be observed 

 that the shock obtained from the Leyden jar is sudden, 

 and only occurs each time the jar is discharged. The 

 shock from the voltaic battery, on the contrary, is con- 

 tinuous as long as the arrangement is kept in action. 

 and its power depends conjointly on the number and size 

 of the plates, together with the amount of i In nnr.il 

 action which is going on in each cell. The sensation 

 produced, also materially diners from that of the Leyilen 

 jar: an intense cramp of the muscles is felt ; and, if a 

 very extensive series be employed, it will be impossible 

 for any one to leave hold of the wires proceeding from the 

 battery, owing to the contraction of the muscles of the 

 arm which ensues. 



Forty or fifty pairs of plates in the pile, or the same 

 number of Smee's or Daniell's arrangement, produce 

 considerable effect on the muscular system of one person. 

 But if a number of persons be joined together, tlio 

 power of the shock will be greatly diminished, unless the 

 hands are well moistened with salt and water. Fifty 

 cells of Grove's battery produce a severe shock ; and it 

 is necessary that that portion of the wires which have. 

 to bo touched during the experiments, should bo co\ 

 by some non-conducting substance, than which nothing 

 is better than brown paper. 



Voltaic electricity has been frequently employed for 

 medical purposes, in cases of drowning, asphyxia, from 

 inhaling carbonic acid gas, paralysis, .tc. ; and it has the 

 advantage of being easily regulated to any extent de- 

 sirable, with respect to the power of the shock. The 

 coil machine, which will be described under the hrad 

 of Electro-Magnetism, is almost invarialily employed 

 for this purpose, however, at the present time. 



Some remarkable experiments have brim tried on tho 

 bodies of men and animals immediately after death, by 

 means of po-.t.rf <il voltaic batteries ; and t 1 Houa 



which we nave met with, is that related by Dr. Ure, in 

 his Dictionary of Chemi*tr<i, under the bead of Gal- 

 vanism. The body of a murderer, recently executed, 

 was the subi- ( in this case; and In sending the current 

 through various parts of the body, many of the appear- 

 ances of life were produced ; in fact, had the body not 

 been drained of blood, there is no doubt that life would 

 have been restored. We must refer our readers to the 

 work named, for full particulars ; but may remark, that 



