Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-07-04

Philosophy at Pavia, who constructed
what has since been called the Voliaic
piie, or a series Of plates Of two different
metals, separated from each other by an
lnterposed liquid these were raised one
upon another in the form of a column,
but having been found equally efficacious
when lying down, that position is now 10.
variably adhered to. BY means of an
extensive apparatus on this plan, many
other experiments have been performed
in this country and abroad, on the bodies
OF criminals after their execution. A.
mong the most memorable OF an early
date were those OF FossaH judo, and Ros.
81, at Turin but the bodies in these ca
ses were decapliated, and the object of
them did not extend beyond the determi.
nation ola question then much disputed,
whether galvanic electricity has any ef-
feet Oh the heart aud other involuntary
muscles after death Some of the more
recent experiments, however, have aimed
at a point much hlgher,-even the reslo.
ration of life itself; or TO speak more
properly, the object has been to see how
far the galvanlc influence, when exerted
to the utmost, could reach. The last ex.
pertinent OF the kind, which in the ludg-
ment of many scientific gentlemen, who
witnessed 1t, was perhaps the most stri-
king ever made with a philosophical APP
paratus, was performed by DR.. IRE, Of
Glasgow, On the body of a man executed
for murder. The body had been suspen.
ded from the gallows nearly an hour /;
had made no convulsive struggles on be-
ing cast off, and was brought to the ana
tomlcal theatre, oil the university in about
ten minutes after it was cut down the
face had a perfectly natural aspect, being
neither livid, nor tumifed, and there was
no dlslocation OF the neck. The voltaic
battery with which DR.. IRE proceeded to
operate, consisted of 270 pairs Of four
inch plates. The successive efforts of
the application, which are justly designa-
ted by DR.. IRE, as "truly wonderful"
are thus detailed :-"ln the experiment,
every muscle of the body was immedi-
ately agitated with convulsive movements,
resembling a violent shodder from cold.
On moving one of the rods from the hip
to the knee, the knee being previously
bent, the leg was thrown out with such
violence, as nearly to overturn one ofthe
assistants, WHO in vain attempted to pre-
vent its extension. In the second expe-
rlmen', full, nay, laborious breathing was
produced! The chest heayed and fell,
the belly was p%rotrudcd, aud again col.
lapSed, with the relaxing and retiring di-
aphragm. In the third, every muscle
Of the countenance was simultaneously
thrown into fearful action rage, hor-
ror, despair, anguish, and ghasily smiles.
united their hideous expression in the
dead mans face, far surprising the will
dest representations ola Fuseli, or a Kean.
AT this period, several of the spectators
were forced to leave the apartment from
terror, or sickness, and one gentleman
tainted. In the last experiment, the fin
gers were made 10 move nimbly like
those of a violin performer an assistant
who tried TO close the fist, found the hand
to open forc:bly in spite of his Efforts
When one rod was applied 10 a slight in.
clslon in the top of the fore.finger, the
list being previously clenchcd, that finger
extended instantly, and from the %convul-
sive agitation of the arm, he seemed to
point to the different spectators, some OF
whom thought he had come TO life."
"ln deliberating," says DR.. IRE, I" on
the above Galvanic Phenomena. we are
almost willing to imagine, that if without
cutting into and ~wounding the spinal
marrow and blood vessels in the neck
the pulmonary organs had been set a play
ing at first las l proposed) by electrify.
ing the phrenic nerve, there is a probabil.
lty that life might have been restored.-
This event, however, little desirable with
q murderer, and perhaps contrary to law,
would yet have been parjonable in one
instance, as it would have been highly
honorable and useful TO SCIENCE"
The chemical effects of this wonderful
agent are very interesting /; by means OF
an electrical battery, metals may be sud-
denly fused, gases united but if fine me-
tallic wire be made part ola powerful gal.
vanic circle, it will be melted in an in.
slant, and give out the most beautiful co.
ruscations of light, Of various c%olors, ac.
cording to the nature of the metal en-
ployed. In like manner, gold and silver
leaf, when submitted to galyanic action,
burn with the greatest splendor, and af-
lord speclacles extremely beautiful. Ifa
piece OF charcoal, made from hard wood,
be Intlamed by galvanism, the light pro-
duced seems TO vie with that Of the sun,
beng TOO intense for the eye to endure.
With DR.. Pepys' apparatus, charcoal
has been delagrated by the galvanic
power, often passing through 10 persons
with wetted hands joined. Butthe effects
produced by the immense battery OF the
Royal Institution in London, and which
consists of 200 double plates, making a
s~urfaca in Tho uhoIa &c loo nao