Giovanni Aldini

Experiments on the body of the executed double murderer George Forster

Giovanni Aldini (born April 10, 1762 in Bologna , † January 17, 1834 in Milan ) was an Italian physicist , known for his experiments with electric current on human corpses.

life and work

In 1798 Aldini succeeded his teacher Sebastiano Canterzani (1734-1819) as professor of physics in Bologna. His scientific work was characterized by the preoccupation with galvanism and its medical applications, with the construction and lighting of lighthouses and with experiments to protect people from fire. He wrote his works in Italian, French and English.

As one of the so-called "galvanists" G. Aldini demonstrated his experiments in public. His experiments were not limited to animals, but he also wanted the "corpse of humans with the most highly conserved vitality". He was offered this opportunity to beheaded and hanged men , including, for example , George Forster, who was convicted of two murders in London . Details of the attempts can be found in the “ Newgate Calendar ”, a record of executions in Newgate Prison (one of the most notorious prisons in England):

The first time electricity had been applied to the face, the executed man's cheeks would have twitched and the adjacent muscles would have been terribly distorted; even one eye was open. In a subsequent experiment, the right hand was raised and cramped, and legs and thighs moved. The impression on those present must have been so strong that they thought Forster had actually been brought back to life. An officially attending surgery attendant, Mr. Pass, was so shocked that he died shortly after at home.

In recognition of his services, Aldini was made Knight of the Iron Crown by the Emperor of Austria and appointed to the city council in Milan. With a considerable sum he founded a school for natural sciences in Bologna . In 1804 he became a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences .

Aldini was a brother of statesman Antonio Aldini and nephew of Luigi Galvani , who carried out electrical experiments on frogs' legs and published his results in 1791.

literature

André Parent: Giovanni Aldini: From Animal Electricity to Human Brain Stimulation . In: Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. 31, 2004, ISSN 0317-1671 , pp. 576-584, online (PDF; 164 kB) .

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Member entry by Giovanni Aldini (with picture) at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences , accessed on February 3, 2016.

personal data
SURNAME	Aldini, Giovanni
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Italian physicist
DATE OF BIRTH	April 10, 1762
PLACE OF BIRTH	Bologna
DATE OF DEATH	January 17, 1834
Place of death	Milan

[1] Member entry by Giovanni Aldini (with picture) at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences , accessed on February 3, 2016.