or three-quarters of an inch long; and that similar sparks were obtained from the frame of a looking-glass over an open grate, in the house of Dr. Norris, of this city. Prof. Bache remarked, that in the case referred to by Prof. Henry, in which sparks of electricity were obtained from a stove, he had satisfied himself that these were owing to the experimenter wearing a silken shirt: an experimenter, not similarly clad, being unsuccessful. Dr. Hare ascribed the incredulity and the opinions which he had expressed, when this subject was brought before the Society by Mr. Peale, at the last meeting, to a misapprehension, on his part, as to the circumstances. He considered that the fact of electricity being developed in the case adduced was established. He alluded to the almost incredible case of a lady, who, agreeably to evidence mentioned in Silliman's Journal, gave off sparks of electricity. He stated also the result of an experiment to discover whether electricity was gigen off during the rapid evaporation of a saline solution. There was no evidence of excitement. The vessel was of glass. Mr. Lea had frequently observed sparks from a common grate. In reference to the results of experiments by Dr. Patterson, in which no evidence of the development of electricity was observed in metals, whilst undergoing a change from the liquid to the solid state, Dr. Goddard observed, that in cases of crystallization on the large scale, as of nitre, in the extensive chemical works of Mr. Wetherill, a beautiful flash of electrical light was apparent. Prof. Rogers suggested, that in ordinary combustion there may be a constant development of electricity, and that means may possibly be found to render it apparent by perfect insulation. Prof. Henry stated, that Pouillet had found that electricity is developed by the combustion of charcoal, and he offered some suggestions as to the mode of rendering the electricity, given off from a stove, apparent, by insulating it both above and below. Dr. Emerson thought, that the change of state from solid to liquid, and from liquid to solid, might account for various electrical phenomena presented by the animal body. Dr. Hare suggested the difficulty, that the human body is a good conductor; and that without a peculiar organization, analogous to that with which nature has endowed the Torpedo or Gymnotus, it is inconceivable that electrical discharges could arise from vital organization. He believed it was admitted by electricians, that there could be no electrical excitement without the existence of the opposite electricities. Agreeably to the published facts of the case to which he had alluded, the lady was permanently in one state of excitement, generating electricity, as animal heat is generated, and throwing off the excess in sparks. In the case of the Gymnotus the intensity, Dr. Hare remarked, is so low that sparks are with difficulty rendered apparent at a kerf made by a knife in tinfoil; of course, the sparks alleged to be given by the lady were vastly more intense. From the Gymnotus, sparks could only be received by forming a circuit with a portion of the organic series situate parallel to the spine. Contact in a transverse direction was not productive of any discharge. Mr. Vaughan stated that there had been no application for the Magellanic premium. Dr. Patterson, from the Observatory Committee, moved that Mr. Justice be added to that committee. was agreed to. The motion Mr. Vaughan announced the death of M. J. P. F. Deleuze, of Paris, a member of the Society. FINIS. INDEX. Academy of Natural Sciences, letter | Acid, chlorohydric, pure, mode of pre- Adams, Mr. J. Q., Report to the House Adet, M., his death announced, 10. Airy, Prof., instrument for observing 313. Alexander, J. H. Esq., on the construc- Prof. S., description of the aurora on two appearances of late- presents transparent models Mr. Z., of Providence, description Andrada e Silva, Don, his death an- Anemometer, Osler's, Mr. Walker on, 3. Association, American, for the promo- instruments at the High School ob- observations made by Prof. Loomis, 129. Audubon, Mr., his remarks on Wilson, Aurora Borealis, description of, by Prof. Bache, Dr., appointed reporter, 24. announces the death of John Fred. presents a translation of an obitu- on a worm in the eye of the horse, compares Prof. Loomis's observa- on a convenient mode for deter- on the magnetic declination on the 294. experiments on the magnetic dip, on the simultaneous changes of observations of the magnetic inten- resolutions of, regarding magnetic reads an extract from a letter from presents a chart of magnetic ob- on the measures taken by the Bri- on combined magnetic observa- Bache, Prof., exhibits the changes of on an instrument for measuring on Mr. Forshey's remarks on the Bonnycastle, Mr., notes of experiments his death announced, 295. 80. family of, to be furnished with the on the meteors of the 12th, 13th, Bradford, Mr Thomas, his death an- on a donation of transparent models on a magnetic observatory to be presents No. 6 of the Society's Pro- relates an instance of the rapid cor- reports the deaths of M. Stainsby on shooting stars, 69. on shooting stars of Nov. 1840, 299. Barium, laid befo the Society by Dr. extrication of, 130. Bessel, M., investigates the parallax of Blind, thin sheets of lead used by the, Institution, use of the wax tablet Blunt, Mr. E., on the solar eclipses of Bonaparte, Lucien, Prince of Canino, on a new principle in regard to nounced, 16. Breck, Mr., historical sketch of the Con- By-laws in regard to the contribution of Calcium, brilliant metallic spangles of, extrication of, 130. portion of, laid before the Society recent experiments to obtain, 100. Carey, Mr. Mathew, his death an- obituary notice of, directed, 117. Ceraphron Destructor, Miss Morris on Chapman, Dr. announces the death of announces the probability of ob- on a presumed earthquake, Nov. presents meteorological observa- letter to, from the Prince of Musig- Chinese system of writing, Rev. Mr. Messrs. Gutzlaff, and Du Ponceau Hare's self-regulating reservoir, 160. Coates, Dr., announces the formation of Galle's third, 215, Comets, Galle's, astronomical observa- new formulæ relative to, by Mr. Committees, standing, appointed for Congelation of water, by the evapora. Corrosion, rapid, of a chain cable, in Corymbiferæ, Mr. Nuttall, on the, 320. on a presumed earthquake, Nov. Crystals, transparent models of, pre- Daguerreotype, specimens of, by Mr. by Mr. Seybert, 166. De Lancey, Bishop, obituary notice on Deleuze, J. P. F., his death announced, Demmé, Dr., announces the formation of the Societas Bibliophilorum Stutt- Dickinson, Rev. James T., letter to Mr. Donations for the cabinet, 4, 6, 35, 43, of No. 11, of the Proceedings, 209—of on some new vaccine virus, 68. Du Ponceau, Mr., announces the death announces the death of Mr. Godon, 295. letter to Mr. Vaughan, in answer announces the reception of the offered, by the Society, a copy of the presents a Grammar of the Iroquois exhibits a Japanese and English presents a MS., by Mr. Heckewel- on the Silk Culture in India, 214. historical account of the origin and presents a Vocabulary of the lan- Earthquake, presumed, Nov. 14, 1840, . Eberle, Dr. John, death announced, 6. committee report in part, 35, 44, Dunglison, Dr., announces the death of Eclipses, solar, of May 14, 1836, and Mr. T. W. Griffith, 19. case in which blood flowed 15 hours Sept. 18, 1838, Mr. E. Blunt on the, Electricity of the animal body, 324. contributions to, by Prof. Henry, developed under combustion, 324. 324. |