280 ON GALVANIC PHENOMENA. 



works, Idees sur la Meteorologie, and Traite elimentaire snr 

 le Fluide electro-galvanique. In these works, I have de*- 

 uionstrated, by a long series of experiments, what 1 shall 

 now summarily state on this subject, 

 The electric The electric fluid is composed of many ingredients, which 



>ound. however are only manifested when it exhibits sparks, by 



darting from one conductor to another. At this instant three 

 phenomena are observed, which the electric fluid does not 

 produce when it only moves aloug conductors; they are 

 light, heat, and a peculiar smell. These sudden phenomena 

 must be produced by a decomposition of the electric fluid; 

 and in following the other phenomena attending this decom- 

 position I have shown, that, beside the three ingredients 

 thus manifested, light, Jire, and an odorate substance, there 

 are other ingredients in the electric fluid ; one of which, well 

 determined, is a most tenuous fluid, which imparts its strong 

 expansibility to the others, and is the cause of the phenome- 

 non called electric influences; a most characteristic effect 

 of the electric fluid, which 1 have followed by exact experi- 

 ments, beginning at p. 267 of the same paper. The fluid 

 thus manifested was, for the facility of expression, to have 

 a name; and I have called it vector, as giving motion to the 

 unexpansive substance, which constitutes the density. Now, 

 in the course of these experiments I have demonstrated, 

 that electrical motions are produced only by the substance 

 constituting the density, without any participation of the 

 fluid producing the electric influences. This is an indis- 

 putable proof, that the electric fluid is a compound sub- 

 stance. 

 Similar effects There was another point to be determined in galvanism, 

 andthep[le. Uy wmcn Dr. Maycock not having considered, his system re- 

 mains without any foundation. The same effects as from 

 the galvanic pile, namely the shock and the gasses in water, 

 are produced by the electric machine charging a battery of 

 coated jars ; but in this case they are produced by a very 

 much condensed electric fluid; while, when the same fluid 

 has pervaded the galvanic pile, it produces these effects 

 with an incomparably smaller quantity. With regard to 

 this subject, I have proved by many experiments, what is 

 above stated, that the chemical effects produced by the pile 



proceed 



