f 473 ] 
tricity moved, the greater would be the effect ; 
And that the (hock was communicable, from the 
animal in water, to perfons in air, through fome 
fubftances. 
How far harpoons and nets, confiding of wood 
and hemp, could in like circumftances, as it has- 
been frequently afferted, convey the effeCt, was 
not fo particularly tried as to enable us to confirm: 
it. I mention the omiffion in the hope that fome 
one may be induced to determine the point by 
exp refs trial. 
We convinced ourfelves, on. former occafions* 
that the accurate Kasmpfer *, who fo well de- 
fcribes the effect of the Torpedo, and happily 
compares it with lightning, was deceived in the 
circumftance, that it could be avoided by holding 
in the breath, which we found no more to pre- 
vent the fhock of the Torpedo, when he was 
difpofed to give it, than it would prevent the 
fhock of the JLeyden Phial. 
Several perfons, forming as many dift'indfc 
circuits, can be affected by one ftroke of the 
animal, as well as when joined in a Angle circuit. 
For inftance, four perfons, touching feparately 
his upper and lower furfaces, were all affected ; 
two perfons like wife, after the electricity had 
pafled through a wire into a bafin of water, tranf- 
mitted it from thence, in two. diftinct channels,, 
as their fenfation convinced them, into another 
bafin of water, from whence it was condu£ted r 
probably in an united ftate, byafingle wire.. How 
* Kasmpf., Amcen. Exot. 1712, p* 514. 
much 
