C 41 3 
Vin, Further * Experiments and Ohferva - 
tionsy tending to illufirate the Nature and 
Properties of Electricity : By Wm. Watfon, 
Apothecary , F. R. S. 
Read Feb. 6 . A s Water is a Non- eleCtric, and of 
* 745 - • confequence a Conductor of Elec- 
tricity, I had Reafon to believe, that Ice was endow’d 
with the fame Properties. Upon making the Expe- 
riment I found my Conjectures not without Foun- 
dation ; for, upon electrifying a Piece of Ice, where- 
ever the Ice was touch’d by a Non- eleCtric, it flafhed 
and fnapped. A Piece of Ice alfo, held in the Hand 
of an eleCtrify’d Man, as in the beforementioned 
Procelfes, fired warm Spirit, chemical vegetable Oils, 
Camphor, and Gunpowder prepared as before. But 
here great Care muft be taken, that by the Warmth 
of the Hand, or of the Air in the Room, the Ice 
does not melt; if fo, every Drop of Water there- 
from conltderably diminilhes the received Electricity. 
In order to obviate this, I caufed my Affiftanr, while 
he was electrifying, to be continually wiping the 
Ice dry upon a Napkin hung to the Buttons of his 
Coat } and this being electrified as well as the Ice, 
prevented any Lofs of the Force of the Electricity. 
The Experiment will fucceed likewife, if, inftead of 
the Ice, you electrify the Spirit, &c. and bring the 
Ice 
* See the former Part of thefe Experiments in thefe Tranfaftions , 
477. p. 481. &c. 
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