Alechanical Philosophy, SI 



FouRCROY, Vauquelin, and Thenard, of France, 

 have not only excited much attention in the scien- 

 tific world, but may also be ranked among the 

 rich additions to philosophy, which modern times 

 have produced. 



It must be admitted, however, that little more 

 has been done, in this new branch of philosophy, 

 than to ascertain a number of facts, sometimes 

 contradictory in their aspect, and generally inexpli- 

 cable, without either forming a theory sufficiently 

 fixed or luminous to satisfy the inquirer, or instruct- 

 ing us in what manner this principle may be applied 

 for the benefit of mankind." Professor Galvani, 

 and several other distinguished experimenters, have 

 supposed the Galvanic phenomena to depend on 

 the electric fluid. They observed that this sub- 

 stance seemed to move with rapidity; that it pro- 

 duced a sensation similar to the electric shock; 

 that it passed with facility through metals, and other 

 conductors of electricity; while it was stopped in 

 its course by glass, sealing-wax, and other sub- 

 stances which we know to be non-conductors of 

 the electric matter. Others, on the contrary, ob- 

 serving several phenomena, which were thought to 

 be incompatible with the known laws of electricity, 

 or inexplicable by them, have rejected this opinion, 

 and resorted to different means of solving the dif- 

 ficulty. 



M. Fabroni, who made a number of ingenious 

 experiments on Galvanhmy was the first who sys- 

 tematically attempted to prove that the effects 

 which he observed arose from chemical causes.* 

 This opinion has led to much curious investigation; 



n Since the above was written, very curious infofmation has been re- 

 itived from Germany, respecting the application of Gahanism to medicat 

 purposes. It appears to possess great efficacy in removing many disease* 

 vising from nervous derangemenc and muscular debility. 



t Sec Nicholson's i'hilosophieal Journal ^ vol, iii. p. 308, 



