Corpse Reanimator

Giovanni Aldini, Corpse Reanimator. In Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein", first published in 1818, a corpse is reanimated by a mad scientist known as Dr Frankenstein. Frankenstein's monster is brought to life after shock treatment using electricity ran through him. Though this work may be labeled as gothic horror, the truth is this story was also an early form of science fiction. It was inspired by an Italian scientist named Giovanni Aldini, who at the time was traveling Europe and conducting similar experiments in real life.

Aldini was the nephew of Luigi Galvani. His uncle essentially discovered the concept of galvanism, when experimenting with electrical currents on frog legs. Aldini took those experiments further. Aldini conducted his experiments on corpses. 

In front of an audience, he conducted an experiment on a hung murderer, George Forster. He applied conducting rods to the man, whereby the dead man began to punch the air, and his legs began to kick and flinch. Rods applied to the face made it clench and quiver. The left eye popped open. Several people present feared the man had come back to life, and had he actually sprung forth, he would have to be re-executed. One individual was so horrified, that shortly upon leaving the spectacle, he reportedly died.