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J. Trowbridge — Oscillatory discharge 



Art. XXII. — The Oscillatory discharge of a large Accumu- 

 lator ; by John Trowbridge. 



The discharge from a large number of Plante cells is char- 

 acterized by a sibilant flame which, by quickly separating the 

 spark terminals, can be drawn out to a length of several feet. 

 It closely resembles the light produced by passing an electric 

 spark through lycopodium powder. When a photograph of 



this flaming discharge is examined, it is seen to have an in- 

 tensely bright spark as a nucleus. On account of the flaming 

 discharge it is difficult to examine its character by means of a 

 revolving mirror. By employing, however, two spark gaps it 

 seemed possible to ascertain whether the discharge is oscillatory 

 or not. 



In my experiments the circuit was made at the instant the 

 revolving mirror was in the position to reflect an image of the 

 discharge of the battery upon a sensitive plate. The photo- 

 graphs obtained in this way showed disruptive discharges 

 superimposed upon a continuous discharge. The latter, how- 

 ever, masked any appearance of an oscillatory discharge. It 



