Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature.—Natural Hiftory, Se. 
before the Commiffioners of the French Na- 
tional Infiitute, and repeated lately in Lon- 
don. By Joun Audini, Profefor of Ex- 
perimental Philofophy in the Univerfity of 
Bologna, Member of the Medical and 
Galvanic Societies of Paris, @Ge.3 to 
which is added an Appendix, containing 
the Author's Experiments on the Body of 
a Malefador executed at Newgate, &c. 
&c. iluftrated with Exgravings.” 
The author of this interefting work, 
who is a nephew of M. Galvani, came 
over to this country during the laf fhort 
interval of peace, and exhibited before 
feveral perfons of high rank, and of high 
celebrity for their philofophical acquire- 
ments, fome of the more remarkable ex- 
periments related in the prefent volume ; 
alfo before the profeffors and pupils at 
Guy’s and St. Thomas’s HRofpisals, by 
whom the author was prefented witha gold 
medal as a token of their refpeét. When 
Profeflor Aldini left: this. country, the 
MS. written in French, together with twe 
Latin diflertations, was put into the edi- 
tor’s hands, in order that they might be 
prepared for the prefs. A tranflation of 
thefe forms the principal part of the work ; 
and an appendix has been added, contain- 
ing the author’s experiments of a fimilar 
kind on the bodies of three criminals, de- 
capitated at Bologna; and an experiment 
lately made at Calais, which feems to 
fhew that Galvanifm is fulceptible of 
being conveyed to a very confiderable dif- 
tance through the water of the fea. The 
work is divided into three parts, In the 
firft, M. Aldini has exhibited the action 
of Galvanifm independently of metals, 
and explained fome ef its general proper- 
ties. The fecond contains experiments 
on the power of Galvanifim to excite the 
vital forces. In the third, he hs pro- 
poled fome ufeful applications of it to 
medicine, and explained the principles on 
which the new medical adminiftration of 
Galvanifin is founded. M. Aldini has 
adopted a mathematical form throughout 
his woik: he begins by a feries of gene- 
ral propofitions which he proves or luf- 
trates by a leries of experiments, and from 
thefe he deduces corollaries. In all thete 
experiments, the objeét is to produce, by 
various methods, mufculer motion in dit- 
ferent parts of animals recently killed. 
Many curious faéts are adduced to fhew 
the general relationfhip between Galvan. 
ifm and Eleétricity; and as_ profeffor 
Volta announced to the public the aétion 
of the metallic pile, M. Aidini has exhi- 
bited according to the principles of Gal- 
vanilm, the action of what he terms 
643 
the animal pile. The general corollaries 
from the experiments reported in the firtt 
part are, 1. That there is a real attragtion 
between certain parts of animals ; and this 
tends to confirm the idea of a fort of at- 
motphere peculiar to parts of animals, as 
has been fuggeted by Humboldt. 2. The 
action of Galvanifin on the a¢riform fluids 
may ferve to explain its influence over the 
animal fluids, by the oxidation of the hu- 
mours. 3. Fifhes and feveral amphibious 
animals, which live under water, fome- 
times approach the furface, on certain 
changes in the atmofphere, which ase 
communicated to the water. 4. Water 
faturated with falts, particularly muriate 
of foda, inereafes the effects of Galvan- 
ifm; fithes poffefS a high degree of vita- 
lity; hence the wifdom fhewn in abun- 
dantly faturating the fea with muriate of 
{feda. 5. As Galvaniim poffefles great 
activity in chemical decomp fiiicns, it 
cannot remain in a ftate of inaction, but 
muft produce great changes in the animal 
fluids and functions, 6. It has been 
proved, that as there is a metallic are and 
a metallic pile in the mineral kingdom, 
there is alfo an animal are and an animal 
circle in the animal kingdom ; which may 
one day throw a great light in the pro- 
grefs of medicine, and be productive of 
benefit to the human race, In the fecond 
part, Profeffor Aldini treats of the in- 
fluence which Galvanifin has on the vital 
powers. In this feries of experiments are 
exhibited its attonifhing effects in pro- 
ducing actions in decapitated trunks, or 
in the heads of large an:mals. On apply- 
ing it to the head of an ox recently killed, 
the eyes were feen to open, the ears to 
fhake, the tongue to be agitated, and the 
noftrils to {well in the fame manner as 
tho!e of, the living animals when irri- 
tated. On applying it to the head ofa horfe, 
a very fenfible gnafhing of the teeth was 
produced, and all the mufcies performed, 
in a furprifing manner, the fame motion 
as is exeited during the time of maiica- 
tion. The proteffor obrained permifiion 
from the government of Bologna to have 
the bodies of two brigaads, who were be- 
headed in that city in 1802. On fub- 
j Ging thefe heads to the action of the 
metailic arc, the fpeétators were affright- 
ed to fee the mufcles of the face fo ex- 
cited as to produce the moft fhocking 
grimaces—the eye-balls moved, the teeth 
enathed, and in every reipect the effect 
was moit horiible. When the extremities 
of thefe criminals were Galvanized, the 
hanus became clenched, tie arms were 
lifted up even when loaded with weights. 
4P 2 Ie 
