GALVANISM. 
The next thing to be considered, is the 
management of the galvanic battery. First, 
all of the cells of the trough must be filled, 
within about half an inch of the top, with 
a liquid, composed of wafer, with about 
one twenty-fifth part of the muriatic or the 
nitric acid. The plates of the trough are 
shorter than the depth of the trough, by 
about three-fourths of an inch ; so that the 
trough may be leaned on one side in the 
filling, for the purpose of letting the liquid 
run equally into all the cells. 
If a number of troughs are to be con- 
nected together, the communication must 
be made by arcs of metal, which are in- 
serted into the liquid of one cell of each 
trough, as represented in fig. 1, at C. In 
making the connection, it is to be observed, 
that the zinc surface of one trough must 
correspond with the copper one of another, 
and the zinc of the latter with copper of a 
third, and so on. This arrangement may be 
better conceived by placing them in the 
same order, and to end in such a way, that 
all the zinc surfaces may face one way, and 
the copper ones the other. After all the 
troughs are connected together, let the two 
unconnected pnds, at which the experi- 
ments are to be made, be as near together 
as possible. 
A connection being now formed between 
the two ends, one of which we shall term 
the zinc end, and the other the copper end, 
the united energy of the whole will be 
transmitted through the connecting me- 
dium. 
EXPERIMENTS. 
The most striking and the most common 
experiments are those which consist in the 
galvanic energy upon the organs of animals. 
If two metallic rods, or, what is equally 
convenient, two silver spoons, be grasped, 
one in each hand, the skin of the part be- 
ing previously moistened with a solution of 
salt, and one of the spoons be brought in 
contact with one end of the battery, the 
moment the other comes in contact with 
the other end of the battery, the shock is 
perceived. Fifty compound plates will give 
a shock which will be felt in the elbows. 
One of a hundred will be felt in the shoul- 
ders. A greater number of plates give so 
forcible a shock to the muscles, as to 
be dreaded a second time. The shock ap- 
pears to depend upon the number of plates. 
The stun, or first impression, is much the, 
same, whatever may be the size of the 
plates ; at least, from the size of two inches 
square to that of ten ; the surfaces being as 
four to one hundred. The elfect upon the 
muscles, as well as upon the cuticle itself, 
is very different from large plates, when the 
series is the same. It appears, that the 
shock, or first impression, is as the series, 
which is also as the intensity of the electri- 
city. If the shock be received from the 
same number of large plates, the same spe- 
cies of commotion is produced in the first 
instance, as with the small plates ; but if the 
contact be still kept up, a continuation ot 
the effect is perceived, which is felt through 
the whole arms, producing a vast tremor, 
attended with a sensation of warmth. If 
the plates be from eight to twelve inches 
square, this effect may be perpetually 
kept, while the acid in the cells is ex- 
pended. 
Though small plates have been recom- 
mended for medical purposes, we think large 
ones will be found more likely to have a 
good effect. If the medical advantage is to 
be derived from the stimulus of galvanism, 
the effect of a perpetual and regular current 
of that stimulus must certainly be pre- 
ferable to the rapid transmission of a small 
quantity. 
The galvanic shock may also be conve- 
niently given, by immersing the hands or 
the feet into vessels containing a solution of 
salt, and bringing wires from each end of 
the battery into the liquid. If any other 
part of the body is intended to be ope- 
rated upon, a sponge, moistened with salt 
water, fastened to a metal plate connected 
with one end of the battery, may be ap- 
plied to the part, and the hand or foot put 
into a vessel of the same liquid, connect- 
ed by a wire with the other end of the 
battery. Small bits of sponge or bits of 
leather may be fastened to the end of the 
connecting wires, and made more or less 
moist as the delicacy of the part may re- 
quire. This contrivance is very useful in 
operating upon the eyes or ears. 
When galvanism is used medically, it 
should first be applied very feebly, and the 
effect gradually increased, as the suscepti-' 
bility of the part will admit. If the part 
has, from disease, become so languid and in- 
susceptible, as not be sensible of the effect, 
it should be scarified, or by other means 
have the cuticle removed. This is some- 
times the case with languid tumors, and 
some cases of paralysis. Though we had no 
great opinion of the medical agency of 
galvanism, we have lately heard of several 
very successful cases, one of which in parti- 
