M. Matteucci's Researches on Electro-Physiology, 443 



from those slight modifications which sometimes occur, espe- 

 cially at the commencement of the experiment. 



These results can only be explained in one way. The very 

 powerful contraction excited in the muscles of the leg and in 

 the foot by the passage of the electric current, proves the 

 existence of a nervous current propagated from the extren)i- 

 ties towards the centre, and developed under the influence of 

 an electric current which traverses the muscular mass in the 

 contrary direction to that of the ramification of the nerve. 



As an electric current, when propagated through a muscle, 

 never leaves the muscular fibre to follow the nervous fila- 

 ments, we have perfect evidence that the nervous currents of 

 which we have spoken are due to the influence of the electric 

 states which are propagated in the muscle. 



To demonstrate the entire importance of these conclusions, 

 we only require to be made acquainted with their connexion 

 with the law of the electric discharge in fishes ; this connexion 

 is as intimate as is possible. In fishes, the electric discharge 

 arises from the production of a nervous current by the stimu- 

 lation of the nerve which is distributed in the organ. In the 

 experiments which we have described, a nervous current is 

 produced by the electric discharge which is passed through 

 the muscle. When this discharge is passed through the 

 muscle in such a manner that the positive and negative elec- 

 tric states are disposed with regard to the nerves in the same 

 manner as in the discharge of the electric fishes, a nervous 

 current is produced by the influence of the electric current. 

 This nervous current has the same direction in both cases; 

 but in the discharge of the torpedo the electric states are pro- 

 duced by the animal, 'whilst in the experiment of the muscidar 

 contractioti the nervous current is produced by the influence of 

 the electric cur-rent. 



When the electric current traverses a muscular mass in a 

 contrary direction to that of the ramification of the nerve, it fol- 

 lows, from the facts which we have established, that the electric 

 current developes a nervous current, the direction of which is 

 opposed to that which it developes on traversing a muscle in 

 the opposite direction. This is shown experimentally by the 

 phaenomena of sensation or of pain which are produced by an 

 electric current traversing a muscle in the contrary direction 

 to the ramification of these nerves. 



