Cuar. V.] EFFECTS OF ORGANIC FLUIDS. 69 
in the course of between 24 hrs. and 48 hrs., were then 
tested with drops of milk, urine, or albumen. Of the twenty- 
three leaves thus treated, seventeen had their tentacles, and 
in some cases their blades, well inflected ; but their powers 
were ;somewhat impaired, for the'rate of movement was 
decidedly slower than when fresh leaves were treated with 
these same nitrogenous fluids. This impairment, as well as 
the insensibility of six of the leaves, may be attributed to 
injury from exosmose, caused by the density of the fluids 
placed on their discs. 
The results of a few other experiments with nitrogenous fluids 
may be here conveniently given. Decoctions of some vegetables 
known to be rich in nitrogen, were made, and these acted like animal 
fluids. Thus, a few green peas were boiled for some time in distilled 
water, and the moderately thick decoction thus made was allowed to 
settle. Drops of the superincumbent fluid were placed on four leaves, 
and when these were looked at after 16 hrs., the tentacles and blades 
of all were found strongly inflected. I infer from a remark by 
Gerhardt* that legumin is present in peas “in combination with an 
alkali, forming an incoagulable solution,” and this would mingle with 
boiling water. I may mention, in relation to the above and following 
experiments, that according to Schifff certain forms of albumen exist 
which are not coagulated by boiling water, but are converted into 
soluble peptones. 
On three occasions chopped cabbage leaves f were boiled in distilled 
water for 1 hr. or for 1} hr. ; and by decanting the decoction after it had 
been allowed to rest, a pale dirty green fluid was obtained. The usual- 
sized drops were placed on thirteen leaves. Their tentacles and blades 
were inflected after 4 hrs. to a quite extraordinary degree. Next day the 
protoplasm within the cells of the tentacles was found aggregated in 
the most strongly-marked manner, 1 also touched the viscid secretion 
round the glands of several tentacles with minute drops of the 
decoction on the head of a small pin, and they became well inflected 
in a few minutes. The fluid proving so powerful, one part was 
diluted with three of water, and drops were placed on the discs of five 
leaves; and these next morning were so much acted on that their 
blades were completely doubled over. We thus see that a decoction 
of cabbage leaves is nearly or quite as potent as an infusion of raw 
meat. 
* Watts’ ‘Dict. of Chemistry,’ before the heart is formed, such as 
vol. iii. p. 568, were used by me, contain 2'1 per 
t ‘Leçons sur la Phys. de la Di- cent. of albuminous matter, and the 
gestion,’ tom. i. p. 379; tom. ii. pp. outer leaves of mature plants 1°6 
154, 166, on legumin, per cent. Watts’ ‘ Dict. of Chemistry, 
+ The leaves of young plants, vol. i. p. 653. 
