558 
livres for the best experiments made 
upon this fluid in the course of the year, 
and the sam of sixty thousand livres to 
the person, who, by his experiments and 
discoveries in electricity and galvanism, 
should accomplish an advance compara- 
ble to that made by Franklin and Volta, 
in these sciences. Notwithstanding the 
publication of many imteresting resulis, 
no one was deemed worthy of even the 
annnal prize; the first honours of which, 
are now pr esented to M. Ermann. 
It is well known that if the galvanic 
pile be insulated, the two halves of it 
are in different states of electricity. If 
the pile commence by a plate of zinc, 
the inferior part disengages resinous or 
nega itive electricity, and the higher part, 
‘itreous oF positive. The density of the 
fluid diminishes trom the extremes, where 
it is at its maximum, towards the mid- 
dle, where the electricity is neutral, or 
At its zero. 
If a communication from the superior 
pole to the ground be established, the 
vitreous fluid will be withdrawn from 
the plate in contact with the conductor, 
this plate will replace its loss at the ex. 
pence of its neighbouring plate, as will 
also occur with respect to the remainder. 
The conductor communicating with the 
earth, a mass infinite with respect to the 
pile, this will be deprived of all its vitre- 
ous fluid, and assume the state of resinous 
electricity. The maximum of this elec- 
tricity still remains at the inferior pole, 
and we may conceive that the zero will 
correspond with the superior pole. 
By imverting the proceeding, the whole 
pile will assume the vitreous electricity, 
and the zero will be at the lowest point 
or pole. 
If a conductor be placed in contact 
with both poles at once, an uninterrupted 
cyculation will be established between 
these fluids, which incessanily tend to 
an union with each other, and are conti- 
nually renewed by the spontaneous action 
ef the pile. ~ 
If the communicating medium he- 
tweea the holes be a ynon-conducting 
substance no change is produced. 
These observations are necessary to 
give force to the contrast between com-~ 
mon stbstances and those which were 
the subjects of M. Ermann’s experi- 
ments, vhich. seem to establish in these 
aconduciing power, which is pecuharand 
varying according £6 circumstances. 
Such a aibstauce 3 is well dried alkaline 
soap.. Ifastick of it be placed in’ con- 
tact with either pole of an insulated pile 
and communicate at the same time with 
Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
[May f, 
the ground, the pole which it touches 
will be discharged ; the zero ascends or 
falls to the point of contact, and the 
maximum of electricity is found at the 
opposite extremity. Thesoap, therefore, 
acts as common conducting bodies. 
Suppose now that the stick communi~ 
cate at once with the two poles, and be 
at the same time insulated. Neither 
pole is discharged, nor is any perceptible 
change remarked in the state of the pile. 
The soap therefore has changed its cha- 
racter. It acts as non-conducting im- 
sulating bodies. 
The apparatus remaining the same, 
a communication is formed by metallic 
wire, between any pomt of the soap 
and the ground; the resinous pole is in- 
stantly discharg ced, and the vitreous pole 
rises‘to the maximum of electricity. The 
soap thus. acts the part of a conducting 
body in the portion of it near to the re- 
sinous, pole, and the part of a non-con- 
ducting body in the part contiguous to 
the vitreous pole. 
The flame of Alkohol presents ana- 
logous effects, with this diflerence, that, 
when a communication is formed be- 
tween any point and the ground, the 
vitreous pole is discharged. 
Here then - are bodies, disposed to 
exert, according to circumstances, two 
opposite powers, neither of which exists 
in common bodies but to the exclusion 
of the other, and which, by a singularity 
still more remarkable, unite, in certait 
cases, buth one and the other powers. 
Thus the galvanic electricity subjected 
in its production and developement’ te 
peculiar modifications, seems to be fur- 
ther distinguished by this kind of trans- 
formation of the actions of certain bodies 
upon the two electricities of which this 
appears to be an-union. 
These new phenomena will serve as va- 
luable materials to extend or perfect the 
theory, when the natural philosopher, 
after having considered them in every 
point of view, by varying the experi- 
ments in which ‘this recurs, shall have 
succeeded in developing through the dis- 
simuizrities which appear to separate 
them, those common points which unite 
these to other phenomena. 
M. Pilger, formerly captain of horse, 
now a veterinary surgeon in Hessia, has 
published a great number of experiments 
made to ascertain, by galvanism, the eF 
fects of certain poisons. There appears 
to be some essential differences between 
the human stomach and that of uf 
horse, but the simularities and analog! 
are sufficient to warvant the expectation 
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