GALVESTON
372
GALVESTON
was touched with the steel scalpel, while sparks were
passing from an electric machine nearby. He worked
diligently aloiit; these lines, but waited for eleven years
before he published the results and his ingenious and
simple theory. This theory of a nervous electric fluid,
secreted by the brain, conducted by the nerves, and
stored in the muscles, has been abandoned by scien-
tists on account of later discoveries, but Galvani was
led to it in a very logical manner and defended it by
clever experiments, which soon bore fruit. Thus he
discovered that when nerve and muscle touch two dis-
similar metals in contact with each other, a contrac-
tion of the muscle takes place; this led ultimately to
his discussions with Volta and to the discovery of the
Voltaic pile. The name Galvanism is given to the
manifestations of current electricity.
Galvani was by nature courageous and religious. It is reported by AUbert that he never ended his lessons " without exhorting his hearers and leading them back to the idea of that eternal Providence, which develops, conserves, and circulates life among so many divers beings". His works (Opere di Luigi Galvani) were collected and published by the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna (1841-42). The following are some of the titles, with the original dates of publi- cation in the " Antichi Commentari " of the Bologna In.stitute: "Thesis: De Ossibus" (1762); " De Renibus atque Ureteribus Volatilium" (1767); "De Volatilium Aure" (1768-70); "De Viribus Electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius " (1791), reprinted at Mo- dena, 1792, with a note and dissertation by Gio. Al- dini; translated by Mayer into German (Prague, 1793), and again published as a volume of Ostwald's " Klas- siker" (Leipzig, 1894); "Dell' uso e dell' attivita dell' arco conduttore nelle contrazioni de' muscoli" (1794); "Memorie suUa elettricita aniraale" (1797).
Popular Science Monlhhj, Julv, 1892; W*lsh in Catholic World (June, 1904); Alibert, Eloges Hisloriques (Paris, 1806); Ventdroli, Elogio (Bologna, 1802).
William Fox.
Galveston, Diocese of (Galvestoniensis). — It
was established in 1847 and comprises that part of the
State of Texas, U. S. A., between the Sabine River on
the east, the Colorado River on the west, the Gulf of
Mexico on the south, and the northern line of the
counties of Lampasas, Coryell, McLennan, Limestone,
Freestone, Anderson, Cherokee, Nacogdoche-s, and
Shelly on the north, an area of 4.3,000 square miles.
French Recollects with La Salle attempted in 1685 to
found the first missions among the Indians in Texas,
and they were followed by Spanish Franciscans from
Mexico sent in 1689 to build a barrier to French occu-
pation. These efforts met with reverses, but early in
the eighteenth century the missionary zeal of the
Franciscans re-established many of the old missions
antl extended them in numerous new directions. They
remained in a flourishing state until 1812 when they
were suppressed by the Spanish Government. The
colonization of Texas from the United States and the
declaration of its independence as a republic in 1836
checked any further efforts to reopen the missions for
several years, and then the Rev. John Timon, after-
wards Bishop of Buffalo (q. v.), and the Rev. John M.
Otlin, two Lazarists from the community in Missouri,
visited the state and aroused the long-neglected reli-
gious .sentiments of the people. Measures were taken
for the promotion of Catholic immigration and the
public officials of the new republic gave every encour-
agement to their work. In 1841 Father Odin was
named Coadjutor Bishop of Detroit, but refu.sed the
Bulls. Texas was then made a vicariate Apostolic
and Father Odin was consecrated titular Bishop of
Claudiopolis, 6 March, 1842. There were then only
four priests in Texas. Bishop Odin set to work vig-
orously to build up his charge. The Texan t'ongress
returned several of the ancient churches to their origi-
nal uses, schools were opened, and the Ursuline nuns,
the first religious community in Te.xas, were intro-
duced to care for them. In 1847 the pope erected the
state into a bishopric with Galveston as its episcopal
see and Bishop Odin was transferred to its charge. In
addition to the Ursulines he secured the services of
communities of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, the
Brothers of Mary, and the Oblates, to the latter of
whom he gave charge, in November, 1854, of the Col-
lege of the Immaculate Conception. He visited
Europe twice to secure priests and material help for
his diocese. On the death of Archbishop Blanc of
New Orleans, Bishop Odin was promoted, 15 Feb.,
1861, to be his successor. During his incumbency of
the See of Galveston he increased the number of
priests to forty-two and the churches to fifty, and left
the diocese with a college, four academies for girls and
five schools for boys. He was born at .A,nibierle,
France, 25 Feb., 1801, and died there, 25 May, 1870.
Claude Mary Dubuis, C.S.C, an indefatigable mis- sionary, who had served long and unselfishly for the Church in Texas, was his successor. He was born 10 March, 1817, at Coutouvre, Loire, France, and or- dained priest at Lyons, 1 June, 1844, where he was also consecrated bishop, 23 November, 1862. After years of hardships in Texas he resigned, 12 July, 1881, but kept the title of Bishop of Galveston, and retired to France. Here he lived at Vernaison in the Diocese of Lyons, receiving in 1894 promotion to the titular Arch- bishopric of Area. He assisted the ordinary of Lyons in episcopal work until his death, which took place 22 May, 1895. Peter Dufal, C.S.C, had been named coadjutor to Bishop Dubuis with the right of succes- sion on 14 May, 1878. He was then Vicar Apos- tolic of Eastern Bengal and titular Bishop of Delcus, having been consecrated at Le Mans, France, 25 No- vember, 1860. He was born 8 Nov., 1822, at Lamure, Puy-de-D6me, France, and ordained priest in the Dio- cese of Blois, 8 Sept., 1852. On translation to Galves- ton he retained his titular see; he resigned the Texas diocese on account of ill health, 18 April, 1880, and re- tired to the house of his Congregation of the Holy Cross at Neuilly, near ParLs, France, where he died in 1889. Nicholas Aloysius Gallagher, fourth bishop, was appointed administrator of Galveston in the ab- sence of Bishop Dufal, having been consecrated at Galveston, 30 April, 1882, titular of Canopus. In 1894 he succeeded to the title of Galveston. He also acted as administrator of Columbus, Ohio, on the death of Bishop Rosecrans in 1878. Born 19 Feb., 1846, at Temperanceville, Belmont County, Ohio, he was or- dained priest, 25 Dec, 1868, at Columbus, Ohio.
The religious communities of men represented in the diocese are: the Jesuits who have charge of St. Mary's University, Galveston; the Basilians (from Canada) managing St. Thomas's College, Houston, St. Mary's Seminary, La Porte, and St. Basil's College, ^^'aco; the Fathers of the Congregation of the Holy Cross at Austin; the Paulist Fathers at Austin.
The religious commimities of women are: Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word; Sisters of Charity (Emmitsburg); Sisters of St. Dominic; Sisters of the Holy Cross; Sisters of St. Mary; Sisters of Divine Providence; Ursuline Sisters; Sisters of the Holy Family. Statistics (1909): Priests 82 (53 seculars, 29 religious) ; churches 82 (missions with churches 35) ; stations 35; chapels 16; brothers 6; women religious 375; ecclesiastical students 12; colleges for boys 4, students 375; academies for girls 9 ; parochial schools 32 ; pupils in academies and pari.sh schools 5000 ; hos- pitals 7; Catholic population 56,000.
Shea, Iliitoru of Catholic Church in the United States (New York, 1894); Idem, Hist. Calh. Missions (New York, 1855); Ueuss, Biog. Cud. Cath. Hierarchii of United States (Milwau- kee, 1898); Catholic Direclori/, 1909; Freeman's Journal (New York), Morning Star (New Orleans, June, 1870), tiles.
Thomas F. Meehan.
