[ 12 3 ] 
They placed a prepared frog in a veffel, 
which contained the electrometer of M. 
Coulomb, charged negatively and posi¬ 
tively by turns. In both cafes, in exciting 
the animal in the common way. the ball 
of the electrometer was attracted; (See 
Med. Eclairee, ou Journal redige, par M. 
Fourcroy, T. io,n. n. pour Aout 1792.) 
If we refleCt, at prefent, upon the phe¬ 
nomena prefented by the torpedo and gym- 
notus; if we coniider that the fluid dis¬ 
charged by them is conducted or arrefted 
by the fame fubftances, which conduCt or 
arreft the nervous fluid ; we cannot avoid 
being convinced that the fhock of the 
torpedo, and the Ihock and fpark -of the 
gymnotus, are effects of the fame caufe, 
which produces the movements in the 
frogs, fowls, cats, dogs, and horfes, 
made the fubjeCts of experiment. 
And as it would be abfurd to aflert, that 
the property of the torpedo is derived 
I from 
