[ *92 ] 
Received February 22, 1770.’ 
XVIII. An Investigation, of the lateral Ex- 
plofion , and of the EleSlricity communicated 
to the eleSlrical Circuity in a E)if charge : By 
Jofeph Prieftley, LL. D. F. R, S . 
Read March - 9>0 EVER AL years before I made 
any experiments in electricity, ex- 
cept with a view to amufe myfelf, and my friends ; 
I had obferved, that in difcharging jars, and particu- 
larly fuch as were filled with water, without any 
coating on the out fide, I felt a flight fhock ; though 
it was plain that the hand, in which I held the dif- 
charging rod, made no part of the circuit. 
Mr. Wilfon, alfb, in his firft experiments on the 
Leyden phial, obferved, that bodies placed without 
the eleCtric circuit would be affeCted with the fhock, 
if they were only in contact with any part of it, or 
very near it. Analogous to this was his obfervation, 
that, if the circuit was not made of metals, or other 
very good conductors ; the perfon who laid hold of 
them, in order to perform the experiment, felt a con- 
fiderable fhock, in that arm which was in contaCt 
with the circuit. See Hiftory of Electricity, p. 95. 
Laftly, in the courfe of my experiments with 
.large eleCtrical batteries, I found the force of this 
lateral 
