Note 7 — SECTION I. Are the Phenomena, exhibited by the Application of certain different Metals to Animals, referrible to Electricity?

It was in this way, indeed, that I have always excited contractions, when I have employed this new mode of influencing animals, as a test of remaining life in any part of them.

They were constantly kept in fresh water, as the situation most natural to them, during the whole of the time they were under experiment; and their skins were suffered to remain as entire as possible, since I found their muscles lost their contractile power, in a few hours, and became rigid when exposed, deprived of their skins, to the action of the water.