XIII. On Organic Polarity. By H. F. Baxter, Esq. M.R.C.S.L. Communi- 

 cated by C. Lestourgeon, M.A., F.C.P.S. 



[_Bead March 8, 1858.] 



The title that has been chosen, viz. " Organic Polarity," as the subject of the pre- 

 sent communication may render it necessary to make a few preliminary observations on 

 the object I have in view. ^ 



The subject treated of embraces that commonly included under the name of ^'^ Animal 

 Electricity," or, more correctly speaking, that oi " Electro-Physiology." The confused notions 

 associated under the former head, and the absurdities that have been advanced in regard to Animal 

 Magnetism and Mesmerism, together with other equally ridiculous opinions, may, in a great 

 measure, account for the strong prejudices that are entertained towards investigations such as 

 form the subject of the present paper, and this alone would form one strong ground for dis- 

 carding the employment of that title, viz. that of Animal Electricity. But the title that has 

 been selected, will be found, it is believed, to be the most appropriate ; for it will be shewn in 

 the sequel, that I have to treat oi polar actions ; that organic actions are accompanied with 

 the manifestation of current electricity, and are therefore polar in their nature; and, conse- 

 quently, it is upon this ground that it may be inferred that organic force is a polar force. 

 Hence Organic Polarity will form the subject of the present communication. 



On the Manifestation of Current Force during the Organic Process or 

 Secretion in the Living or Recently-killed Animal. 



After Davy's celebrated discovery, in 1806, of the decomposition of the alkaline salts by 

 voltaic electricity, and when he had established the important fact that acids were evolved at 

 one pole and alkalies at the other pole of the battery (from whence arose the phrase polar 

 decomposition), Wollaston immediately seized upon the idea that the animal secretions were 

 effected by the agency of a power similar to that of a voltaic circle, and in the paper* con- 

 taining this remarkable conjecture, which was published in 1809, he also suggested that "the 

 qualities of each secreted fluid may hereafter instruct us as to the species of electricity that 

 prevails in each organ of the body ;" that as the stomach and kidneys secreted an acid for 

 example, whilst the liver secreted an alkaline compound, the two former might indicate a 

 positive electric state or condition, and the latter a negative state or condition. PRouTf cau- 

 tiously advanced a somewhat similar opinion, and says, " Admitting that the decomposition of 

 the salt of the blood, &c is owing to the immediate agency of a modification of electricity, we 

 have in the principal digestive organs a kind of galvanic apparatus, of which the mucous mem- 

 brane of the stomach and intestinal canal, generally, may be considered as the acid or positive pole. 



Philosophical Magazine, Vol. xxxiii, p. 488. + On Stomach and Urinary Diseases, 3rd. edit. p. xxv. 



