19S Mr. cavendish on the Torpedo. 
furprizingly better than the human body, or any other 
fubltance I am acquainted with ; and conlequently, un- 
lefs the wire is very long and {lender, the quantity of 
el'e&ricity which will pafs through the perfon’s body will 
bear lo fmall a proportion to the whole, as not to give 
any fenlible (hock, unlels the jar is very large and highly 
charged. 
It appears from fome experiments, of which I propofe 
fhortlv to lay an account before this Society, that iron 
wire conducts about 400 million times better than rain 
•or diftilled water; that is, the electricity meets with no 
.more refinance in palling through a piece of iron wire 
400,000,000 inches long, than through a column of 
water of the fame diameter only one inch long. Sea- 
water, or a folution of one part of fait in 30 of water, 
conducts 100 times, and a faturated folution of lea fait 
about 720 times better than rain water. 
To apply what hath been here faid to the torpedo; 
fuppofe the filli by any means to convey in an inftant 
<\ quantity of electricity through its electric organs, from 
the lower furface to the upper, fo as to make the upper 
furface contain more than its natural quantity, and the 
lower lefs; this fluid will immediately flow back in all 
directions, part over the moilt furface, and part through 
•the fubftance of its body, fuppofing it to conduct electri- 
city, as in all probability it does, till the equilibrium is 
reftored : and if any perfon hath at the time one hand on 
the lower furface of the elc6tric organs, and the other on 
the upper, part of the fluid will pals through his body. 
More- 
