Zoistic magnetism: being the substance of two lectures, descriptive of original views and investigations respecting this mysterious agency; delivered ... at Torquay, on the 24th of April and 1st of May, 1849 / by the Rev. W. Scoresby.

  • William Scoresby
Date:
1849
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Zoistic magnetism: being the substance of two lectures, descriptive of original views and investigations respecting this mysterious agency; delivered ... at Torquay, on the 24th of April and 1st of May, 1849 / by the Rev. W. Scoresby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    viz., to the power in certain agencies of deve¬ loping, elsewhere, the like latent qualities. Thus in case of electricity, or magnetism, the active powers of one body may elicit similar qualities in other bodies, having a capacity for the peculiar influence, or in which the principles were existing, but dormant. Hence a magnet may render, by juxta-position or contact, a mass of iron or steel, previously indicating no polarity, magnetic; an electrified body, by mere proximity with another having no such sensible quality, may induce in it an electrical condition; whilst, in the case of combustibles, the power of one in action, however feeble, may develope the latent qualities of the other to an unlimited extent of conflagration. Hence, a glimpse, if not a correct insight, into, the rationale of Zoistic Magnetism, may be derived from our knowledge of apparently kindred sciences; wherein, not improbably, we have to deal with one, and the same, essential agency, modified, in the subject under review, by the animal organization and the principle of life. The requirements for the development of the Zoistic Magnetism, would, on the principle of development of other cognate phenomena, seem to be,—the previous production of a magnetic or electric condition in the agent. If, therefore, by any effort or power of the agents such a con-