Brewer's: Galvanism

(g hard). So called from Louis Galvani, of Bologna. Signora Galvani in 1790 had frog-soup prescribed for her diet, and one day some skinned frogs which happened to be placed near an electric machine in motion exhibited signs of vitality. This strange phenomenon excited the curiosity of the experimenter, who subsequently noticed that similar convulsive effects were produced when the copper hooks on which the frogs were strung were suspended on the iron hook of the larder. Experiments being carefully conducted, soon led to the discovery of this important science.

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