Royal Society. 391 



Junq 5 — '^* Electpo-Physiologigal .Rese?irch^." .Memoir First. 

 By Professor Carlo Matte^Qcj, (Commupicated by Michael Fara- 

 day, Esq., D.C.L., F.R.S, 



The autjipr dp§cribes several arrangements by which he was en- 

 abled to make new experiments in confirmation of th^ l{>ws of niua-' 

 cular currents, of which he has given an account in his recent work, 

 ^nfitled " Traite des Phenomenes J^^lectro-Physiologiques des Ani- 

 iTiaux." He finds that, in these experiments, the employment of a gal-^ 

 vanometer is unnecessary, as the sensibility of the electroscopic frog 

 of Galvani gives sufficient indications pf the electric current without 

 the use of that instrument. "• 



The general results obtained ffom t.)iese experiraeiits are the fol'^ 



lo.\ying. 



1; <\yMl 



In the first' place, the intensity' jltld diirWitJO bf the muscuiai>'dtii^ 

 rent is independent of the nature of the gas in which the muscular 

 pile is immersed. Secondly, it is altogether independent of the ce- 

 rebro-spinal portion of the nervous system. Thirdly, the circum- 

 stances which exercise a marked influence on its intensity are the 

 conditions of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Fourthly, those 

 poisons which seem to act directly on the nervous system, such as hy- 

 drocyanic acid, morphia and strychnine, have no influence on the ner- 

 vous current. Fifthly, sulphuretted hydrogen has a decided influence 

 in diminishing the intensity of the muscular current. Sixthly, the in- 

 tensity of this current in frogs varies according to the temperature in 

 which the frogs have been kept for a certain time during life ; a result 

 wljich, of course, is not obtainable with animals which do not take 

 the temperature of the surrounding medium. Lastly, the intensity 

 of the muscular current in animals increases in propprtion to the 

 rank they occupy in the scale of beings ; and on the other hand, its 

 duration after death is exactly in an inverse ratio to its original in- 

 tensity. The author concludes by stating his belief, that the pro- 

 perty of the muscles immediately connected with their electric cur- 

 rents, is identical with that which was long ago denominated by 

 Haller irritability, but which is at present more usually designated 

 by the term contractility. IJe ascribes the development of this 

 muscular electricity to the chemical actions which are attendant on 

 the process pf nutrition of the mugcles, and result from the contact 

 qf arterial blood \yith the muscular fibre. He conceives that in the 

 natural state of the muscle, the two electricities thus evolved neu- 

 tralise each other at the same points at which they are generated ; 

 while in the muscular pile contrived by the author, a portion of this 

 electricity is put into circulation in the same manner as happens in 

 a pile composed of acid and alkali separated from one anott^er by § 

 simply conducting body. ■'' -fino ^T 



June 19. — "On the Connexion between the Winds 6f the St. 

 Lawrence and the Movements of the Barometer." By William 

 Kelly, M.D.j Surgeon ll.N., attached to the Naval Surveying Party 

 on the River St. Lawrence. Communicated by Captain Beaufort, 

 .R.N., F.R.S. 



The author adduces a greal; number qf observatiojJS which are in 



