sides
of the loop would also increase the deflections. He saw at the same time
that the effect of additional turns would be cumulative.

The multiple surrounding of the needle by a silk-covered wire, in a
plane perpendicular to the long axis of the needle, affords the
physicist a very simple and sensitive means of detecting the
slightest trace of galvanism, or of magnetism produced by it, so
that I have given the name of magnetic condenser to this
construction, though I attach no special value to this name ...

In analyzing the astonishingly increased power which the condenser
gives to the magnetic effect of a circuit, the first question that
arises is how the effect varies with the number of turns, whether it
increases indefinitely or reaches a maximum beyond which additional
turns have no effect. The answer to this first question is linked to
the solution of another, viz, whether the degrees deflection are a
direct expression of the measure of the magnetic force or not.

To instruct myself on this point I made use of three separate
circuits, each containing an 8-turn condenser, and put these as
close together as possible in the magnetic meridian ... with the
needle between the windings. Each single circuit ... gave a
deflection of 45 deg. ... When two were connected the deflection was
60 deg., and when finally all three were put in magnetic operation, the
deflection grew to only 70 deg. It appears clearly from this that the
angle of deflection is not in a simple ratio with the magnetic force
acting on the needle....

Neither Poggendorf nor Schweigger seems to have ruled out, on logical
grounds alone, the possibility of deflections greater than 90 deg., with
the loop-plane in the magnetic meridian, though Poggendorf does add a vague
note that if the needle deflected too far it would encounter forces of
the opposing sign.

Poggendorf experimented with the size of the circuit wires, finding that
larger wires led to greater deflections. He noted that the size of the
cell plates and the nature of the cell's moist conductors would
certainly have a great effect, but that to investigate these in detail
would take undue time, and he therefore proposed to keep this part of
the apparatus constant, using one pair of zinc and copper plates 3.6
inches in diameter, separated by cloth soaked in ammonium-chloride
solution.

Poggendorf's prin