172 ON GALVANISM. 



CenerM effefts If the powcr whtch excites the motion of the mufcles be 

 gaWaoifm! °^ .eledricity, it is in a ftate not to be condufted from one parti- 

 cle to another, for the fame eSe& is renewed whenever the 

 tin-foil comes in contaft with another part of the filver, how- 

 ever contiguous it be to the one at firft touched. We find 

 farther that the fuperficial particle does not take off the power 

 of the one immediately beneath. 



It is thus, I apprehend, that the renewal of furfaces gives 

 a permanency to the powers of the pile, and in proportion to 

 the quicknefs of fucceffion in the prefenting new furfaces, the 

 power of the pile is found to increafe. 



It is needlefs to explain thefe appearances by the hypotheti- 

 cal principle of Mr. Lavoifier's oxygen, fince Mr. Volta has 

 fhewn that the metals themfelves are ele6lro-motors, even with- 

 out the intervention of water, or the aflion of acids or alkalis. 

 Taking it for granted then that the animal mufcles are a fpe- 

 cies of eie6troraeter, we may conclude that fome difturbance 

 of eledricity takes place wjien two metals are brought in con- 

 tad, and a circuit is made. This difturbance varies according 

 to the fubftances employed. Mr. Voita has found this to be 

 the cafe, for he has rendered this fmall portion of eledricity 

 perceptible by accumulating it on his condenfer. The pile of 

 Volta accumulates the power which is called forth by the con- 

 tad of two metals, and enables us to apply it in fuch accu- 

 mulated ftate in various chemical experiments. 



One of the moft ftriking effeds is the difengagement of two 

 elaftic aeriform fluids from water, by introducing wires, from 

 which are produced the two ftates of the eledric fluid. Thus 

 it happens that the wire conneded with the zinc produces, 

 when immerfed in water, one gas, and the wire conneded 

 with the fiiver or copper plate another gas. The properties 

 of thefe gafes are perfedly diflind, and evince that the pro- 

 ducing powers have peculiar efFeds, for the water is common 

 to both. What takes place from the wires in water at the ex- 

 tremities of the pile is more or lefs apparent between the plates 

 Ihemfelves, where wetted paper is inlerpofed, for there the 

 adion of the gafes is to be feen in their effeds on the metallic 

 plates. The effbd produced by the pile may be greatly in- 

 creafed by arranging it in the following order; filver, wet 

 paper, zinc, a plate of glafs. Sic. and by placing wires on 

 each fide of the glafs, and putting thufc into water j from each 



pai? 



