WORK OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL STATION AT PARIS. 397 



velocities, following them and carrying the registering apparatus, sur- 

 rounded by an importunate cro\Ad of curious peojde. 



At another time, wishing to ascertain the effect which gymnastic train- 

 ing has upon the movements of the heart and on respiration, I had to 

 transport my apparatus to the ficole de Joinville, to which M. Hillairet 

 kindly offered me access. 



Finally, in order to determine the succession of the movements of the 

 horse, I had to go to the riding schools of Paris to find the means of 

 making the necessary experiments. 



The annoyance of shifting about so continually was but slight as com- 

 pared with the grave disadvantages of carrying long distances delicate 

 instruments whose slightest derangement made the journey useless. 

 From that time I had but one desire, that of finding a spacious ground 

 where I might unite a workshop, a laboratory, and an experimental field. 

 I soon thought that my wishes were about to be realized. 



In 1S78, the Universal Exposition had just been closed, and General 

 Farre, then minister of war, who was interested in my experiments on 

 the gaits of men and horses, offered to i^lace at my disposal some ground 

 in the Champ de Mars which was in a few months to be turned over to 

 the war department. This was the large space where now stands the 

 Eiffel Tower. An officer of engineers examined the place and at the 

 end of a few weeks sent me a plan showing a perfectly level circular 

 track 500 meters in circumference, iiassing through the groups of trees 

 there planted, and touching the edges of the two lakes. At certain 

 times of the day this track was to be given up to experiments. I yet 

 have this plan Avhich gave me a certain transitory joy. In a few weeks 

 it happened that by a certain arrangement between the General Gov- 

 ernment and the city the grounds were assigned to the latter and I 

 thought for a time that all was lost. 



But the municii)al council of Paris, which has given so many proofs 

 of its interest in science, was soon to gratify my wishes beyond my 

 hopes. 



Upon the motion of its president, M. de Heredia, the municipal coun- 

 cil placed at my disposition a spacious ground at the Pare des Princes, 

 and voted an aniuial allowance of 12,000 francs to maintain the new 

 establishment. The General Government on its part, upon the request 

 of M. Jules Ferry, granted the sum necessary for the construction of the 

 buildings. Finally, to add to these resources, I transferred to the new 

 locality the laboratory for advanced studies which I had been conduct- 

 ing at the College of France, us well as all the apparatus and instru- 

 ments that I had made during more than twenty years. 



Such was the origin of the Physiological Station, which is already 

 known to many of you. Those who may do me the honor to visit it 

 will not find there monumental constrnctions, but slight buildings 

 which during the summer season admit of the employment of a con- 

 siderable number of workers and are arranged for all sorts of studies. 



