ELECTRICAL FORCES 87 



and an induction shock is sent through 

 it we observe that immediately after- 

 ward a current (called a "blaze current") 

 flows through the galvanometer, some- 

 times in the direction of the induction 

 shock, sometimes in the opposite direc- 

 tion. No such current is observed when 

 a dead organism is used. Waller, who 

 discovered this phenomenon, calls it a 

 test of life. He states, however, that as 

 a rule he was unable to obtain it in ma- 

 rine algae. This may be due to the fact 

 that the sea water interferes with the 

 manifestation of the current by produc- 

 ing a kind of short circuit, but this seems 

 improbable because this would abolish 

 all electrical effects and this is not found 

 to be the case. Moreover other cells 

 such as frogs' eggs sometimes fail to 

 give it. In any case the fact that the 

 blaze current is not found in all organ- 

 isms makes it less satisfactory as a test 

 of life. 



