Aloysii Galvani De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius
59. Animal Electricity
Galvani, an anatomist at Bologna, noticed the twitch of dissected frogs' legs
when touched in certain ways by his scalpel. After much careful
experimentation he decided that the motion was caused by a vital force he
termed "animal-electricity." His original paper appeared as an "opusculum"
in the transactions of the Bologna Academy of Science, in 1791. Galvani sent
an offprint to Volta (at Pavia) who repeated the experiments, differed in
their interpretation, discovered "contact electricity" and invented the
voltaic pile, source of direct-current generation.
Creator:
Galvani, Luigi
Published:
Ex Typographia Instituti Scientiarium, Bononiae, 1791
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