The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-08-26
WONDERS OF GALvANlSM
From the last No. of sSiiitman's Journal.

When tncy VIII RESUME.
WONDERS OF GALvANlsM
From the Last No. of SiLiRam's Journal
ACCIDENTAL PRODUCTION or ANIMAL LIPE ny hR.
CROSSE.
communication from Mr.. Stuchbury, OF the Bns-
to Institution has been disseminated through the pub
lie journals. Of which give copy As there Is no
doubt Of the honor and versciy OF Mr. Stuchburs he
extract which this gentleman gives from letter OF MT
Crosse may be considered il communicated by Mr.
Crosse himself.
"S,R-It may truly be said that facts recorded faith
fully detailed and made public, are the means by which
philosophy is enabled render her temple more durable
it's foundson--every additional fact beng the com
msncemen, Of that which, when understood forms an
outwork Of defence, rendering the interior the strong
hold and sacred repository OF truth
ut was a maxim Of the late John Hunter, which ne
was repeatedly procaimng that greater benefit would
be conferred upon the community If professional men
had the moral courage to publish detailed accounts Of
all their unsuccessful than could be derived from
the publication OF those which met with favorable ter
minstion for then the physician would REJECT al once
such had failed modes OF cure, without repeating
experiment after experiment. thereby saving much vat
liable time, and certainly spang much needless PAIN TO
the unfortunate patient So with facts in natural PHI
losophv Let experiments be recorded, and their re-
suits will enable others to avoid, successfully TO pur
them, to bring them to bear upon principles
which might cucdaie some great truth, me light OF
they not been enabled to take advantage Of the works
OF pioneers who had proceeded, Perhaps to the very
threshold Of the same result.
with regard to the large lumber Of curious and (at
the time, in luence OF the principle not be-
ing uniers.ood) astounding facts the investigator would
be doing great injury to the cause in which he abors
should lie be deferred from making them known merely
because he cannot reasonably account for the same
And upon this view Of the subject and TO set at rest
the vague views which are abroad, feel duty TO the
cause in which am engaged, and to the philosopher
with whom they originated at once to take the liberty
Of transmitting to the press, and particularly the local
press, from which many reports have emanated, an
abstract Of letter have received from Mr. Crosse,
with account OF his experiments IN the language OF
a private communication, quot that which he would
probably have chosen had he made the communication
hmselL) and without further comment
"The following is accurate account OF the expert
ments in which insects made their appearance:
Experiment First took diluted solution Of ST.
ca,e Of potash supersauIated with muriac acid and
poured it quart basin, resting piece OF maho-
gany a Wcdgwood funnel was placed IN such man
ner that strip Of flannel wctcd with the same, and
acting slphron, conveyed the fluid drop by drop,
through the funnel upon piece Of somewhat porous
Vesuvan rcd oxide Of iron, which was thus kept con
stany wetted by tho solution and across the surface OF
which (by means OF two plana wires connected with
the opposite poles Of valtac battery consisting OF
nineteen pairs of five-inch plates in cells filled with
water and 500 mratic acid) constant electric cur
rent passed. This for the purpose Of procur-
ing crystals Of slick. At the end Of thirteen days
observed two three minute spccks on the surface
Of the stone white and somewhat elevated. On the
eighteenth day, fine 6laments projected from each OF
these specks or nipples and the whole figure was IN
creased in size. On the twenty day, each OF
these figures assumed definite form, still elarg-
ing On the twenty sixth day, each assumed the form
OF perfect insect standing upright on four or five bs-
Ties, OF which forms its tail On the twenty eighth
day, each insect moved its legs, and in day or two
afterwards, detached itself from the and moved at
will. Ii so happened that the apparatus was placed
fronting the south, but the window opposite was cover
ed with blind, as found these little animals was much
disturbed when ray Of light fell them for out Of
about fifty whichmade their appearance at once. at least
fortyvc Of them took up their habltaon on the shaded
side Of the stone ough. to have added that when all
the fluid, nearly so, drawn out OF the basin, It
was caught in glass bottle, placed under glass fun
mel which supported the s,one and was then returned
into the basin without moving the stone. The whole
was placed on hight frame made for the purpose -
These insects have been seen by many OF my friends,
| and appear, when magnlhed, very much like cheese
mites but from twice eight times the size, with
| six legs others with eight. They are covered with long
br!stles, and those at the tall when highly magnihed,
spiny. After they had been born some time they
became amphbIous, and have seen them crawl about
dry surfaces
"Erperimem Second took saturated solution Of
slcate Of potash, and filed small glass with II, into
which plunged stout iron wire connected with the
pcs'trc pole Of battery Of twenty pairs OF cylinders
filled with water alone, and immersed in the same
small coil OF silver wie, connected with the nrga'tre
pole Of the battery. After some weeks action,
geatiHous slick surrounded the iron wire, and, after
long PERIOD the substance filled up the coil Of sill
yer wire at the other pole, but in much less quantity
In the course Of time Of these insects appeared in
the sick at the negative pole, and there at the pre-
time less than three weforned insects at the
negative, and twelve at the positive pole, in all fifteen
Each Of them is deeply Embedded in the gcla,inous
seS the brIs,lcs Of It's tail alone projecting, and the
average Of them are from half to thrcc-quarters OF
inch below the surface Of the fluid
In this las, experiment, we have neither acid, nor
| wood, nor fanncls, volcanic iron-stonc will not
say whether they would have been called to life without
the electric agency not IoDer opinion, but hare
merely stuffed certain facis"
Upon this statement Professor Silliman thus re-
marks
We cannot believe life and organization have been
produced by gavanic power but would sooner suppose
the Of the may have been contained in the
materials galvanized into them during The pro
cess and that the gavanic power may have quickencd
them into life, electricity and animal warmth operate
upon eggs
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