Mechanical Philosophy. ^^ 



ous efFect resulting from the junction of two pieces 

 of different kinds of metal, and applying them, thus 

 joined, to the tongue ; but these hints seem to have 

 been disregarded, and were soon buried in obH- 

 vion. In 1791 Professor Galvani announced a 

 discovery made by him, that the muscles of dead 

 animals might be stimulated and brought into ac- 

 tion, by means both of artificial and atmospherical 

 electricity. He also discovered, that independent 

 of any collection of the electric fluid for the pur- 

 pose, the same action might be produced in the 

 dead animal, or even in a detached limb, by 

 merely making a communication between the 

 nerves and the muscles with substances that are 

 conductors of the electric matter.^ Galvani's first 

 experiments were made on dtd.di frogs ; but the 

 discovery, soon after being announced, was pur- 

 sued; experiments were made on different ani- 

 mals; and a number of new facts, tending to show 

 the connection between Galvanis?n and electricity,' 

 and the circumstances in which they differ, were 

 brought to light by Professor Volta, and Dr. 

 EusEBius Valli, of Italy; by M. Von Humboldt, 

 andDr. Pfaff, of Germany; by Dr. Monro, Dr. 

 Fowler, Mr. Cavallo, and Dr. Lind, of Great- 

 Britain; and by Coulomb, F0URCROY5SABBATIER5 

 Pelletan, and others, of France. 



Hitherto this influence or agent had been 

 chiefly investigated with reference to its operation 

 on animal substances. Hence its popular name 

 was, for a considerable time, animal electricity. 

 But it being soon found, that its agency was more 

 extensive ; that it possessed powers not indicated by 

 this denomination; and that of course the reten- 

 tion of this name would lead to error, the word 

 Galvanism was adopted in its stead. This exten- 



/ Aloysii Galvani de viribus Eleciricitatis^ Sec. 4to. Bononix, 1791, 



