EXPERIMENTS ON THE EFFECT OF A CURRENT OF ELECTRICITY ON THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE*

By John Christian 
Oersted, Knight of the Order of Danneborg, Professor of Natural Philosophy, and Secretary to the 
Royal Society of Copenhagen.

The first experiments respecting the subject which I mean at present 
to explain, were made by me last winter, while lecturing on electricity, galvanism, and magnetism, 
in the University. It seemed demonstrated by these experiments that the magnetic needle was moved 
from its position by the galvanic apparatus, but that the galvanic circle must be complete, and not 
open, which last method was tried in vain some years ago by very celebrated philosophers. But as 
these experiments were made with a feeble apparatus, and were not, therefore, sufficiently 
conclusive, considering the importance of the subject, I associated myself with my friend Esmarck to 
repeat and extend them by means of a very powerful galvanic battery, provided by us in common. Mr. 
Wleugel, a Knight of the Order of Danneborg, and at the head of the Pilots, was present at, and 
assisted in, the experiments. There were present likewise Mr. Hauch, a man very well skilled in the 
Natural Sciences, Mr. Reinhardt,  

* Translated from a printed account drawn up in Latin by the author and transmitted by him to the 
Editor of the Annals of Philosophy.