1876.] 
The Newly -Discovered Force. 
199 
eleftro-physics, and who have the sounders and small mag- 
nets at hand, as telegraphers and telegraphic engineers, 
have been more successful in obtaining the spark, and are 
more nearly unanimous in the opinion that it represents 
something that cannot be explained by known laws of elec- 
tricity, than professors of theoretical chemistry. 
In conclusion, I may say that although I originally sug- 
gested the hypothesis that this force might be electricity so 
rapidly reversed as to be unable to respond to the usual 
tests, and therefore practically depolarised, and without a 
circuit in the ordinary sense of that term, and have kept 
that theory in mind in all my investigations, and hence 
would not unnaturally be pleased to have it proved to be 
the true solution of these phenomena, yet I cannot blind 
myself to these serious difficulties in the way of its ac- 
ceptance - 
1.. This force, when key is used (Fig. 2), and the interrup- 
tions are made slowly and carefully, appears only on the 
opening of the circuit. Where, then, is the opportunity for 
rapid reversals ? Besides, induced electricity, even when 
very rapidly reversed, affeCts delicate galvanometers. 
2. The physiological experiments are not fully accounted 
for by this theory. Any form of rapidly reversed electricity 
in an ordinary circuit, giving a spark like the spark of this 
force, is felt on the tongue and lips, and in the inner corner 
of the eye, and indeed on less sensitive parts of the body. 
The galvanoscopic frog ought to contract even when the 
key is used with slow interruptions. 
3. The passing of this force through great resistances of 
air, and solid non-conduCtors when large surfaces are at the 
terminals (Fig. 4). In these experiments these resistances 
may be supposed to aCt as dielectrics, and the whole ar- 
rangement may be regarded as analogous to a Leyden jar, 
or the condenser of a Ruhmkorff coil ; but the extra current, 
as it passes through a condenser, is in a circuit : here there 
is no demonstrable circuit, and, furthermore, the dielectrics 
in the condenser are trifling in extent compared with the 
extent of air and thickness of resistances in these experi- 
ments. According to this hypothesis of rapidly reversed 
currents, induced electricity, when it reaches the large ter- 
minal, is changed into statical electricity, and at the distal 
large terminal is changed back into induced electricity, and 
through all these varying conditions the electricity is going 
backwards and forwards so rapidly as to be unable to respond 
to the usual tests. Is this demonstrable ? 
These objections may not be fatal to this working 
