Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society
A meeting of the above society was held on Wednesday evening, the 19th inst., the Rev. Canon Brock (president) in the chair. There were fifteen members present.
Three new members were nominated.
A highly interesting and instructive paper on electricity was read by Mr. Cowley.
The subject was treated under three heads – the nature, kinds, and effects of electricity. It was shown that electricity is not a distinct form of matter, but like heat, is a condition of matter, and that all substances may be brought into this condition.
Frictional electricity is that produced by the rubbing together of any two substances – thus the brushing of the coat of an assistant placed upon an insulating steel caused the leaves of a gold-leaf electroscope to diverge.
Voltaic electricity is that set free by chemical action – thus when any two metals are placed in liquid which has a stronger chemical action upon one metal than the other, a current of electricity is produced if the metals be made to touch either inside or outside the liquid. A needle and a pin upon being immersed in an ink-pot and being connected with each other by a wire or other conductor, caused a deflection of the needle of an astatic galvanometer placed in the circuit.
Magnetic electricity was shown to be that produced by the movement of a magnet in the proximity of a wire-covered piece of iron or magnet, the current set up in the wire being momentary and in alternate directions, and depending upon the character of the movements in the inducing magnet.
Thermo electricity is the name given to the electricity produced by the heating of the junction of two dissimilar metals. – Induced electricity designates that caused by a coil of wire carrying a current in anther coil of wire placed near it.
A Grove’s battery of twenty cells, which had been set up in an adjoining room, was used to show experimentally some of the effects of voltaic electricity, the effects being thus classified – magnetic, chemical, physiological, heating, and luminous, the latter being demonstrated by the production of the electric light.
A vote of thanks to the lecturer was proposed by the chairman and carried unanimously.
[The Doncaster, Nottingham, & Lincoln Gazette, 28 October 1881]