ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE 67 



though there might be variations of a few millimetres due 

 to increased or decreased moisture or pressure of one or 

 other of the hands. If, however, my contention be correct 

 that we give off neuro-electricity to the air in accordance 

 with our respective sign and electromotive force, and 

 that the body is liable to be inductively influenced, it is 

 obvious that a common level would, in time, be found, and 

 that the resultant hand-to-hand deflection of each and 

 every one of the persons present must be in the neighbour- 

 hood of zero. 



That is what actually happens. 



I read somewhere, but regret the source is not given in 

 my notes, that we may consider as generators of energy a 

 liquid passing from a higher to a lower level ; heat passing 

 from a hot to a cold body ; electricity flowing from a body 

 with a high potential to one with a low potential ; move- 

 ment transmitted from a body animated by velocity to 

 another with less velocity, etc. Thus energy depends on 

 the state of the bodies in presence. There is only an 

 exchange between them if they are out of equilibrium ; 

 that is to say, if they possess different tensions. One of the 

 bodies present then loses something which it yields to the 

 other until their tensions are equalised. 



We are well aware that when two pieces of the same 

 metal are placed in a solution in a circuit in which a current 

 of electricity is flowing electrolytic action will be set up. 

 Polarisation is the inevitable consequence of any such 

 combination. But when we are calculating forces it 

 behoves us to take into consideration the difference 

 between a steam-hammer and a tack-hammer ; to 

 discriminate between a hurricane and a zephyr. In a 

 single dry cell a force of 1,500 millivolts is evolved ; the 

 human machine is driven by 5. Moreover, the electrodes 

 used by me for body-testing are of German silver, heavily 

 coated with chemically pure silver, and as they are all 



