L ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. 



93 



Thus there is abfokite proof that the mufcular 

 fibre acquires great rigidity, and it is fuch as mud 

 materially prejudice its irritability: This is evident 

 from the mod adive flimulants not occafioning 

 the flightefl: contraftion or corrugation. Irritability 

 is commonly believed the origin and principle of 

 life :. when it is fo much injured in the animals 

 of w^hich we fpeak, it muft occafion that lethar- 

 gy, that fimilitude to death which is manifefted. 



If this is the real and immediate caufe of tor- 

 por in thefe animals, I cannot fee any reafon why 

 it fhould not extend to all others fubjeft to torpi- 

 dity. It is impoflible, indeed, to deprive the warm 

 blooded animals, liable to torpor, of whatBuffon 

 fuppofes the efficient means, for their nature does 

 not admit of them living without blood. But their 

 mufcular rigidity, alfo, is certain ; and it renders 

 them infenlible to every ftimulus while in the le- 

 thargic flumber. I have feen it in bats. I fprinkled 

 them with fait, bathed them with warm water, 

 pricked them with needles, and laid open the pec- 

 toral mufcle, methods moft powerful to excite ir- 

 ritability, but all were ineffeftual, while they were 

 oppreifed by profound lethargy. The eledric 

 fpark, fo fit above all flimulants to awaken irrita- 

 bility, was equally ineffedual. If the irritability 

 of warm blooded animals is fufpended by means 

 of cold the fame as that of the cold blooded, 

 and if the ceffation of this power, as far as ap- 

 pears 



