222 SClfiNTlFIC NEWS 



Eleftrkity pofi- As to "thelntenfity, we know that the eleclricity is pofitive 

 ^rY^wT ^°^^ at one of (he poles of the pile, and nei<ative at the other ; it 



cf the^ile, I . . ^ . ^ . 



negative at the has been fhown likewife, that it diminilhes between thele 



*'^^^.'^'.n. I, two extremes, fo as to be null in the middle of the pile. 

 diminifnes be- ' r • r l r 



tvveen them, Mr. Ritier fought to compare the degrees of mtenfity at thele 

 null in the j^^ poles, and thofe of different piles. This he attempted 

 The time ^y determining the time neceifary for charging a given battery ; 



necefiary for but this method is inaccurate, and no certainty can be at- 

 baHe^i'yf a^n in- tained in this refpect, but by means of the eledtrical balance, 

 accurate meafure According to Mr. Ritter, the a6lion of the pofitive pole 

 i Eleftricity of '^^ the pile difpofes metals to combine with oxigen, and that 

 the pile dlfpofes of the negative pole difpofes them to combine with hydrogen, 

 metals to com- j^- ^^^ pofitive pole be armed with a gold leaf, and the nega- 

 binewith . .,,.,., , ,• . • - f 



cxigen, tive with a bit or charcoal, on forming a communication be- 



— withhidro- tvveen thefe two fubftances the leaf of gold burns with a 

 ff"' le armed brilliant light, and the charcoal remains untouched : but if 

 with gold leaf, — the charcoal be placed on the pofitive fide, and the gold on 

 ^'^'orminga' the negative, the charcoal burns, and the gold is melted, 

 communication If the negative pole be brouglit into contaft with the fliining 

 burnel'^ ''^^ " furface of quickfilver, it leaves a; trace different from that 

 if the charcoal produced by the pofitive pole. 



beonthe + fide, j^^_ j^j^^^^. afferts, that all the effeds of the pile on the 

 it burns, and - , , , r- 



the gold is animal body are reducible to expanfions and contraftions. 



melted. All the parts of the human body affume an increafed bulk on 



i7to contaa the contad of (he pofitive pole, and contrad on the contact 

 with quickfilver ^f the negative : for inftance, the adion of the pofitive pole 

 i« furface^dif- o" the tongue produces there, at the expiration' of a i'e.vr 

 ferent from that uiinutes, a flight elevation, whereas the negative pole oc- 

 Theeffettsof the cafions a little de'preffion. If the fame perfon touch the 

 pile on the ani- two poles with the two hands wetted, the intenfity of the 

 mal body all re- jp^ j^ increafed in the hand in con(a6t with the pofitive, 

 ducible to ex- ' ... 



panfions and pole, while its ftrength is diminifhed in the other, but (he 



contrH<aioris. number of pulfations continues the fame in each. The ex- 



The-f- pole m- , * 



creafingthebulk panfion thus produced in the organs, is attended with a 



of parts, the— fenfation of heat, the contraction with a Tenfe of cold. 



E^a's on the* I^ the eye be made to communicate with the pofitive pole, 



tongue, it fees objedls red, larger, and more difiindt ; in contact witli 



The°expanfion * ^^e negative pole it fees them blue, fmaller, and more con- 



oc cafions a fenfe fu led. The tongue receives from the pofitive pole an acid 



cf heat, and ^^^ f^^^^ jj^^ negative an alcaline. The ear being in con- 



To ;he eye the ' .taiSb 



