A 



JOURNAL 



OF 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY, 



AND 



THE ARTS. 



AUGUST, 1807. 



ARTICLE I, 



A Memoir on two new Classes of Galvanic Conductors. By 

 Mr. Erman*. 



-fl- HE faculty of propagating or isolating electric effects, Galvanism has 



exhibited in such different and variable degrees by different h A e * n su PP° sed 



° - different from 



substances, eminently demands our attention, because the electricity, 



time is arrived for comparing this faculty with the chemical f rom anoma_ 



„ -, ,. iti it ■ , lies in the pro- 



constitution of bodies, to establish something respecting the perties of con- 

 nature of the electric fluid. The anomalies of the conduct- ductin g sub - 

 ing faculty are so strongly marked in galvanic electricity, 

 that they have afforded arguments to those, who refer the 

 phenomena of this class to a principle essentially different 

 from electricity. 



The examination to which I have subjected a great num- New experi- 

 ber of substances, with respect to the phenomena they pre- some of the 

 sent, when they are employed to complete the galvanic cir- arguments, 

 cuit from one pole of the pile to the other, has furnished 



» Journal de Physique, Vol. LXIV. p. 121. Feb. 1807. 



To this Memoir the French National Institute awarded the Prize of 

 SOOOfr. [.£125], founded by the Emperor, to be given annually to the 

 best paper on the subject of Galvanism, till a discovery on its principle 

 or application shall be made, of sufficient importance to merit the sum 

 of 60,000 fr. l£25Q0] t of which this is the interest. 



Vol. XVII— August, 1807. R jme 



