106 THEORY OF GALVANISM. 



were observed, and were connected with the elec- 

 trical condition of the substances, are those of 

 Fabroni's ; and it was not until Volta's discovery 

 of the pile, that we were put in possession of a 

 method by which we were enabled to examine, 

 with any degree of accuracy, the relation between 

 these two actions. Even if we find it necessary 

 to conclude that Galvani, although he had the 

 good fortune to have his name associated with a 

 new department of science, did not witness any of 

 the facts to which we now apply the term, the 

 contradiction will be more apparent than real ; and 

 we must not permit the mere circumstance of 

 names to influence our opinion respecting the es- 

 sential nature of things. The present state of our 

 knowledge seems, however, to warrant the conjec- 

 ture, that the action of the two metals on the 

 parts of animals is strictly galvanic, L e. accompa- 

 nied by a chemical action on the metals and the 

 fluids, so as to reduce it within the limits of the 

 proposed definition. 



Difference Waving, however, the farther discussion of this 

 ekaridty point, which indeed can only be decided by experi- 

 nSn galTa ~ ment, we must recur to the question already 

 stated, respecting the essential difference between 

 galvanism and common electricity ; and, conceiv- 

 ing it to be ascertained, that in the production of 

 the former, a chemical action takes place, which 

 is not necessary in the latter, we must next in- 

 quire, in what way this chemical change of the sub- 

 stances imparts to the electricity that particular 



