HISTORY OF GALVANISM. 

 i which, although at present known to be erroneous, 



on electric , . , - 



acid. seemed, in the first instance, to be supported by 

 a considerable body of direct evidence. He sup- 

 posed that the galvanic influence was identical 

 with electricity, but that when it is extricated in 

 contact with water, so as to decompose this fluid, 

 it unites with a portion of its oxygen, and forms a 

 new acid, which he called the electric acid. Like 

 other acids, he conceived that it had the property 

 of combining with bodies and forming various 

 compounds, the properties of which he describes. 

 It might be difficult and little important to trace 

 out, in every instance, the source of Brugnatelli's 

 errors. There can be no doubt that he operated 

 upon impure substances ; it is probable that the acid 

 which he obtained was derived either from small 

 portions of nitric acid which were generated, or 

 of muriatic acid which were liberated in the course 

 of the experiment. 



Woliastoifs Soon after the discovery of the pile, Dr. Wollas- 

 mSS, t( >n turned his attention to the subject of galva- 

 nism, and displayed his accustomed sagacity and 

 penetration in a paper which he presented to the 

 Royal Society. He observes that the energy of 

 the apparatus seems to be in proportion to the 

 tendency which one of the metals has to be acted 

 upon by the interposed fluid. An experiment is 

 related, not very unlike some of those which had 

 been previously performed by Fabroni. If a plate 

 of zinc and a plate of silver be immersed in diluted 

 sulphuric acid, and kept asunder, the silver is not 



