Mr. Allemand
reports, that the shock deprived him of breath for some minutes, and
afterwards produced so acute a pain along his right arm, that he was
apprehensive it might be attended with serious consequences. Mr.
Winkler informs us, that it threw his whole body into convulsions, and
excited such a ferment in his blood, as would have thrown him into a
fever, but for the timely employment of febrifuge remedies. He states,
that at another time it produced copious bleeding at the nose; the
same effect was produced also upon his lady, who was almost rendered
incapable of walking. The strange accounts naturally excite the
attention and wonder of all classes of people; the learned and the
vulgar were equally desirous of experiencing so singular a sensation,
and great numbers of half-taught electricians wandered through every
part of Europe to gratify this universal curiosity.
It is on the nervous system that the most considerable action of
electricity is exerted. A strong charge passed through the head, gave
to Mr. Singer the sensation of a violent but universal blow, and was
followed by a transient loss of memory and indistinctness of vision.
If a charge be sent through the head of a bird, its optic nerve is
usually injured or destroyed, and permanent blindness induced; and a
similar shock given to larger animals, produces a tremulous state of
the muscles, with general prostration of strength.
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