ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE 51 



regarding it as the only form of electricity that appeared in 

 his experiments ; and that Volta was wrong in refusing to 

 admit its existence. 



In 1803 a nephew of Galvani, Aldini, published 

 experiments that went to demonstrate the existence of 

 animal electricity. The voltaic pile, however, was a 

 stronger argument against the existence of animal elec- 

 tricity than any experiments could be in its favour, and for 

 these reasons animal electricity was forgotten. 



The electromotive force of a voltaic pile would be, 

 approximately, 1 volt per cell, while that of the human 

 body is, also approximately, 0-004 volt in its entirety. It 

 is difficult to see how Aldini arrived at his conclusion. 



In 1827 M. Nobili, having constructed a very sensitive 

 galvanometer, claimed to have detected the existence of an 

 electric current in the frog ; a few years subsequently 

 Matteucci had turned his attention to this subject, but it 

 was reserved for Du Bois-Reymond to investigate most 

 clearly and most fully, if not most conclusively, the electric 

 properties of the nerves and muscles. 



By these two observers (Matteucci and Du Bois-Rey- 

 mond) it was believed to have been shown 



1st. That currents in every respect like the frog- 

 current of Nobili were not peculiar to the frog, but were 

 inherent in all animals, warm and cold-blooded in toads, 

 salamanders, fresh-water crabs, adders, lizards, glow- 

 worms, and tortoises, as well as rabbits, guinea-pigs, mice, 

 pigeons, and sparrows. 



2nd. That currents are found in nerves as well as 

 muscles, and that both are subject to the same laws. 



3rd. That this muscular current may be upward or 

 downward, and that the current of the whole limb is the 

 resultant of the partial currents of each muscle. 



4th. That electricity is found not only in the muscles 

 and nerves, but also in the brain, spinal cord, and 



