Royal Society. 183 



M. de Luc's paper on the action of electricity and galvanism, 

 or the electroscopical agency of electric and galvanic mat- 

 ter. In this paper M. de Luc proved that neither electricity 

 nor galvanism have any chemical action unless when com- 

 bined with other bodies : that the galvanic and electric fluid 

 are essentially the same, as zinc has the greatest affinity 

 tor electricity, and silver next to it; so that, when these two 

 metals are separated by moistened paper, the reciprocal elec- 

 tric attraction is called into action, in the same manner as 

 by the friction of the electric machine; and that it is the 

 action and re-action of this attraction which have given 

 birth to the appellation of positive and negative electricity., 

 The simple electric or galvanic fluid, he also stated, passes 

 through bodies without producing any chemical changes, 

 unless the bodies were previously prepared and the electricity 

 highly concentrated. 



November 17 — 24. The Croonian lecture on the muscles 

 of the heart and the motion of the blood, by Dr. Young, 

 (Foreign Sec. R. S) was read. This lecture was a continua- 

 tion of the authar's former paper on the motion of fluids in 

 elastic or flexible tubes, which appears in the first part of 

 the Transactions of the present year. Dr. Y. took a view 

 of the nature of fever, and its effects on the blood, as well 

 as of blood letting, which he considered as generally in- 

 adequate to produce the effect intended. He also gave a 

 theory of mortification, which the Germans call a t( cold 

 burning." 



A paper by Mr. Childers was read, containing some ob- 

 servations and experiments on the most ceconomical means 

 of constructing very powerful galvanic batteries. From a 

 number of experiments performed in the presence of Mr. 

 Davy and others, Mr, Childers concludes, that it" it is de- 

 sired to act on substances which are non-conductors of gal- 

 vanism, very broad plates of copper and zinc are preferable; 

 but if on substances which are good conductors, then nar- 

 row plates in greater numbers will be found most conveni- 

 ent : the former continue to emit fluid for forty- eight/hours, 

 the latter for a much shorter time; but they emit it much 

 quicker, and are better adapted to general experiments. Mr. 

 2 C. also 



