Hospitals for lunatics present a spectacle which must excite compassion in every breast not void of humanity, as they are in general crowded with unfortunate beings, useless to themselves and dangerous to others; while little hope is left of their being ever restored to society. This is the case in particular with persons subject to melancholy madness; on some of whom I tried last year the effects of Galvanism. In consequence of a long series of painful and disagreeable experiments made on myself, I was induced to entertain great hopes from this remedy. I applied it to my ears and to different parts of the head, in order that I might form a just estimation of its power and influence on the brain. It is well known that the strength and energy of the operations of the mind depend on the state of the functions of the brain. It is well known also, that a violent fall, or strong impression on the head, has often occasioned great variations in the intellectual faculties. By such accidents some have entirely lost the power of imagination; while, on the other hand, some have acquired very great talents, or emerged from a state of complete stupidity. These considerations gave me reason to hope that the power of Galvanism might perhaps be able to produce a salutary change in the brain in cases of melancholy madness. I communicated my thoughts on this subject to the physicians who superintend the hospital for lunatics at Bologna. They approved of my ideas, and gave me every assistance in their power to enable me to prosecute my researches. In their presence, and under their direction, I administered Galvanism to several lunatics, applying it different ways; and the result was the complete cure of two who had laboured under melancholy madness. As the method I followed in both cases was nearly the same, I shall here give a description of it, as it may serve as a general rule for the administration of this remedy under similar circumstances. Louis Lanzarini, of a phlegmatic temperament, twenty-seven years of age, and a farmer by profession, fell into a state of deep melancholy, which first announced itself by an attack of fever; in consequence of which he was conveyed to the public hospital of St. Ursula on the 17th of May 1801. When he arrived there, he began to complain of the treatment he had received, and to show great uneasiness; by which means his melancholy increased so much, that it at length degenerated into real stupidity. While in this state, Professors Gentilli and Palazzi were so kind as to allow me to administer Galvanism to him; which I did in the presence of these physicians, and of several medical students who attended the hospital.