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  AN ACCOUNT
  OF
  _THE LATE IMPROVEMENTS_
  IN
  GALVANISM,
  WITH A SERIES OF CURIOUS AND INTERESTING
  _EXPERIMENTS_
  PERFORMED
  BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL INSTITUTE,
  AND REPEATED LATELY IN THE
  ANATOMICAL THEATRES OF LONDON.

  BY JOHN ALDINI,
  PROFESSOR OF EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA,
  MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL AND GALVANIC SOCIETIES OF PARIS, OF THE
  MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC.

  TO WHICH IS ADDED,
  AN APPENDIX,
  CONTAINING THE AUTHOR’S EXPERIMENTS
  ON THE BODY OF A MALEFACTOR EXECUTED AT NEWGATE.
  _&c. &c._

  _ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS._

  [Illustration: Medallions]

  _LONDON_:
  PRINTED FOR CUTHELL AND MARTIN, MIDDLE-ROW, HOLBORN,
  AND J. MURRAY, NO. 32, FLEET-STREET,
  BY WILKS AND TAYLOR, CHANCERY-LANE.
  1803.




EDITOR’S PREFACE.


Few discoveries in modern times have excited so much curiosity as that
of Galvanism. Ever since it was first made known by its celebrated
Author, it has engaged the attention of the most eminent philosophers
in Europe; and various researches have been undertaken to ascertain
the principles on which it depends; and the laws to which it is
subject.

Though some of its singular properties are fully established, it must
be allowed that the discovery is still in its infancy; but enough of
it is known to prove its importance, and to induce philosophers to
continue their researches, which there is every reason to suppose may
lead to some very curious results.

The experiments, indeed, which have already been made, seem to
indicate that it may open a new field in the healing art; and it
appears by a late report presented to the Class of the Exact Sciences
of the Academy of Turin, that the medical application of it has been
attended with the most beneficial effects in a case of confirmed
hydrophobia.

While Galvanism, independently of other advantages, holds out such
hopes of utility in regard to objects so interesting to mankind; a
work containing a full account of the late improvements which have
been made in it, illustrated by a complete course of experiments,
cannot fail of being acceptable to the public in general, and in
particular to medical men, to whose department, in one point of view,
it more essentially belongs.

When Professor Aldini left this country, the manuscript, written in
French, together with two printed Latin Dissertations, was put into
the Editor’s hands, in order that they might be prepared for the
press. A translation of these forms the principal part of the work:
and an Appendix has been added, containing the author’s experiments on
the body of a malefactor executed at Newgate; experiments of a similar
kind on the bodies of three criminals decapitated at Bologna; and an
experiment lately made at Calais, which seems to show that Galvanism
is susceptible of being conveyed to a very considerable distance
through the water of the sea.

The Editor thinks it necessary to observe, that the principal
experiments, of which an account is given in this work, are
illustrated by proper engravings, and that the title page is
embellished with a representation of the gold medal presented to the
Author, as a mark of their respect, by the medical professors and
pupils of Guy’s and St. Thomas’s Hospitals.

  LONDON,
  _May 12th, 1803_.




  CONTENTS.


  PART I.

                                                                 PAGE

  OF THE NATURE AND GENERAL PROPERTIES OF GALVANISM.

  PROPOSITION I. _Muscular contractions are excited by the
    development of a fluid in the animal machine, which is
    conducted from the nerves to the muscles without the
    concurrence or action of metals_                                3

  PROP. II. _The Galvanism excited, in the preceding experiments,
    is not owing to the communication nor to the transfusion of
    the general electricity, but to an electricity peculiar to
    animals, which acts a very distinguished part in the animal
    economy_                                                        6

  PROP. III. _Galvanism develops itself in a powerful manner,
    independently of metals, by means of the human animal machine_ 