292 Broughton on the Injiuence 



flrst inclined to regard as some distinct principle, but a few ex- 

 periments soon taught me that it was merely a mixture of ex- 

 tractive matter, with a little sulphuric acid. 



17. The activity of rhubarb, as a medicine, appears to reside 

 entirely in those principles which are soluble in alcohol ; the 

 alcoholic extract was found a drastic purge, and the resin in its 

 pure form also proved aperient ; while the gum obtained from 

 the residue insoluble in alcohol (5) was perfectly inert, and did 

 not possess any peculiar medicinal qualities. 



Art. IX. Experiments and Remarks, illustrating the In- 

 fluence of the Eighth Fair of Nervesover the Organs of 

 Respiration and Digestion. Bj/ S. P. Broughton, 

 Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, one of the 

 Surgeons to the St. George's and St. James's Dispensary, 

 and to His Majesty's Second Regiment of Life Guards. 



An attempt having been made to show that galvanism is 

 equal to the influence of the nervous system over the important 

 functions of respiration and digestion, in restoring these func- 

 tions when they become interrupted or entirely suspended, by 

 dividing the eighth pair pf nerves in the neck of an animal; 

 the Royal Society appointed some of its members, conversant 

 with physiological pursuits, to investigate the grounds upon 

 which this opinion is built. The report made relative to the 

 point in question was, that no such power had been observed 

 as that attributed to galvanism by the theory above men- 

 tioned. In order to satisfy myself as to the cause of such op- 

 posite cpnclusions, and, if possible, to ascertain the truth, I 

 instituted a series of experiments, the result of which I am 

 about to detail. In order, however, to bring this subject fairly 

 into view, a short abstract of the experience and opinions of 

 our ancestors and of our cotemporaries appears requisite. 



So early as the time of Rufus and Galen, the attention of 

 physicians was directed to a large nerve on each side of the 



