The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-07-09

SIeppeu 10 lne 1rOnC ana proved WIFI
; his kite that electricity from the
friction machine and the lightning
from the clouds were the same thing.
He was the greatest electrical scien-
tlst of the age and the history of
electrical progress dates practically
from that day. He constructed a
battery of Leyden jars which was
little short of the lightning itself,
shocking animals to death and set
ting fire to tinder.
Franklln's experiments were re-
peated iii Europe and he was honor
ed as being the greatest scientist of
the age.
| Up to this time static electricity
was the only kind known To-day
two kinds of electricity are recog-
nized, the static electricity which is
motionless and takes the form Of dis
charges from one body to another,
and electricity generated by chemi-
cal means. The next world-aston-
ishing development in electricity
was the discovery of the chemical
battery which gave steady flow of
current. A man named Galvani,
professor of anatomy at Bologna, in
1890 was experimenting with an
| electric machine. By chance some
frog legs were lying upon the same
table, having been ordered by ply
sician for Galvani's sick wife. A
spark jumped to one of the frogs
saddles and it twitched as though
with life. Galvani followed up the
experiment thinking he had discov-
cred the secret Of life, which was
the topic of all scientific study and
research in those days.
In the course of his experiment
Galvani hung the frog legs on a cop
per hook with the toes touching on
zinc plate. This also caused the legs
to twitch, evidencing an electric
current. But it remained for Volta
to show that Galvani had created an
electric battery. Volta constructed
his 'voltaic pile" composed of alter
mating sheets of copper and zinc
separated with a cloth moistened
with an acid solution. This gave
continuous flow of electricity and
scientists dropped their experiments
with the friction machine to take up
the study of the cell battery. They
thought then that the body was
nothing more or less than voltaic
pile and that life was a manifesto
ton Of electrical energy. Personal
ity and emotions were spoken of,
and written of, in electrical terms.
Powerful batteries of as many as a
thousand cells were constructed and
it was noticed that the new machine
gave no brilliant sparks but a steady
flow of current of a power SO mys-
terious and threatening as to be held
in silent dread. When the poles of
such a machine were grasped it was
as though the victim YVES held in the
grasp of a giant and his body was
convulsed and tossed about. By its
action water was decomposed, carbon
and metals melted, chemistry was
revolutionized and scientific re-
search extended.
Galvani and Volta were followed
by coterie of brilliant men, and
the names Of Oersted, ,Ampere, Davey
and Wollaston became known
throughout the world. In 1920
Oersted discovered the relation be-
tween magnetism and electricity.
By his experiment it was found that
the galvanic current DETECTED the
magnetic noodle. After this principle
we are able to measure the amper-
age and voltage Of the constant cur
rent.
In 1881 Faraday discovered the
principle of voltaic induction, which
gave rise to the faradic, or altelnat-
ing current. Then followed the dy-
namo, based upon this same prin-
ciple, and electl icity began to as
sumo great commercial Importance.
The telegraph, the telephone, cleo
tricity as a source of power, the arc
and incandescent light, the electric
motor car, the X-ray, wireless tele-
graphy, the electric furnace ard
many important discoveries have fol-
lowed.
The future Of electricity promises
more for this world than any other
thing.
Pinuies for Backachc, little golden
globules, easy and pleasant to take.
/ Act directly on the kidneys purify the