Galvanism
Galvanism är en äldre term som beskriver muskelsammandragningar orsakade av en elektrisk ström (elektrofysiologi). Termen myntades av Alessandro Volta efter den samtida italienske forskaren Luigi Galvani, som på 1790-talen undersökte fenomenet genom att utsätta avlidna djur för ström. Galvani själv kallade det "animalielektricitet" och antog att det rörde sig om en särskild form av elektricitet medan Volta däremot antog att det inte hade med elektriciteten att göra utan med beröringen av metall.
Många viktorianska forskare och lekmän undrade om man inte kunde återge döda personer livet genom en lämplig dos elektrisk ström till hjärnan, och galvanism kan också syfta på idén att animera döda kroppar. Det mest kända exemplet återfinns i Shelleys roman om Frankensteins monster från 1818.
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Rising of a corpse galvanized by a primitive galvanic battery. A pedestrian throws his arms in the air because of shock, saying: 'Had I not been born insensible to fear, now should I be most horribly afraid. Hence! horrible shadow! unreal mockery. Hence! And yet it stays: can it be real. How it grows! How malignity and venom are "blended in cadaverous union" in its countenance! It must surely be a "galvanized corpse." But what do I feel? The thing begins to draw me . . . I can't withstand it. I shall hug it! . . . ' Two demons in the left down corner discussing. First demon: "There! We've lost him, after all! See! they are bringing him to life again!" Second demon: (holding a copy of Blair's newspaper, the "Globe)": "Lose him! ha ha! . . . Rest you easy on that score. But can't you see that it's all for our gain that he should be galvanized into activity again? Where have we his equal on earth? especially since dear Amos [Kendall], poor fellow, has got his hands so full, at the Post Office, that he can't write for us as he used to. Show me another man that can lie like him. They talk of Croswell [influential editor of the "Albany Argus" and Van Buren ally Edwin Croswell] but Harry is nothing to him. I doubt if I can beat him myself. Lose him! a good joke that!"