TOL. XLV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 495 



smell of it could be discovered. A man, having a pain in hi8 side, was electrified 

 by this cylinder: he went home, fell asleep, sweated, and dispersed the power of 

 the balsam. His clothes, bed, chamber, all scented of it. When refreshed by 

 sleep, he combed his head, and found the balsam lodged in the hair, so that the 

 very comb was perfumed. 



The next day Sig. Pivati electrified a man in health, after the same manner, 

 who was ignorant of what had been done before. On this man going into com- 

 pany half an hour afterwards, he found a warmth gradually diffusing itself 

 through his whole body. He became more lively and cheerful than usual. The 

 company were surprised at an odour, which they could not account for; but the 

 man himself perceived that the perfume arose from his own body, and with equal 

 surprise, not being aware that it was owing to the operation that had been per- 

 formed on him. 



Being struck with so extraordinary an account, M. Winkler tried the effect in 

 some other instances. He put some pounded sulphur into a glass sphere, so well 

 covered and stopped, that on turning it over the fire, not the least smell of sul 

 phur was perceived. When the sphere was cooled he electrified it, when imme- 

 diately sulphureous vapours issued from it, which, on continuing the electricity, 

 filled the air so that the smell was perceived at the distance of 10 feet, and the 

 persons were even driven away by the stench of the sulphur ; Mr. W.'s body, 

 clothes, and breath retained the odour even the next day. 



After this, he tried the effects of a more agreeable smell, filling the sphere with 

 cinnamon. Having treated it as before, the smell of cinnamon was soon per- 

 ceived by the company, the whole room being perfumed by it. Mr. W. tried 

 the balsam of Peru with the like success. A friend of his having been present 

 at the experiment, and going abroad to supper, he was often asked by the com- 

 pany what perfume he had about him. The next day, when Mr. W. drank tea, 

 he found an unusually sweet taste, owing to the fumes of the balsam still re- 

 maining in his mouth. 



Considering these things, Mr. W. thinks that electricity must be of use in 

 curing some diseases. There are two grand . benefits to be expected from medi- 

 cine; for, either noxious particles, that are mixed with the blood or other juices, 

 are to be separated and expelled, or beneficial ones are to be introduced. In 

 both these cases electricity may be of service. For as soon as it touches a human 

 body, it immediately pervades it in such a manner, that no place is left free from 

 it; nor is there any thing in the body, that can be rendered volatile, that is not 

 dissolved, dissipated, and carried off by it. And many instances are on record 

 that electricity has caused blood to flow from the nose and other parts of the 

 body. 



But electricity has not only a power of separating and expelling, but is also 



