344 Assimilation 



elemental accumulator of nervous energy in continual 

 charge and discharge. 



As will be noted we have here a phenomenon in some 

 respects similar to the electric resonators of Hertz, in 

 which an electric discharge caused by the difference of 

 potential existing between the two armatures of a con- 

 denser, is transformed into an oscillatory discharge. It 

 will be appropriate here to indicate briefly in just what 

 this phenomenon consists. 



\ TJ T* Let A and B be the armatures 



*** '"* -*-* of a charged condenser which are 



suddenly connected with each 

 other by an external conductor, 

 ArMLB, in such a way that the 

 latter makes a circuit open only at 

 the point D of the di-electric. In 

 the accompanying figure r repre- 

 sents the total resistance of the 

 circuit, and L the inductance or co- 

 efficient of self induction of this 

 circuit. When the capacity c of 

 the condenser and the inductance 

 L of the circuit are in a certain 

 relation to each other, and r is small, we can get an oscillatory dis- 

 charge which forms as it were a sinusoidal alternating current ; that 

 is the electricity oscillates from A toward B and from B toward A, 

 with a frequency determined by the inductance L and the capacity 

 c. If we cause the resistance r of the circuit to become constantly 

 less by employing wires of constantly increasing thickness, we 

 approach the boundary at which this oscillation will be able of itself 

 to continue indefinitely. 



If in this case, where r is very small, we excite in the 

 circuit by induction sinusoidal alternating electro-motive 

 forces of the same frequence as in the oscillatory dis- 

 charge, then there will arise in A and B differences of 

 very many volts even though the number of volts so 

 induced is small. 



Upon this principle depends, as is well known, the 



