INTRODUCTORY 9 



earth connections and the instrument. But the latter 

 is silent and would for ever so remain did not some agency- 

 depress the key connecting up the battery and so enable 

 the vitalising current to traverse its coils. The main 

 difference between the instrument and the seed is that the 

 stimulus applied to the seed is continuous ; to the other 

 intermittent. Accident, such as a flash of lightning, might 

 compel the armature of the instrument to temporary move- 

 ment, and dampness and warmth, by rendering the seed- 

 coat conductive, and so enabling it to absorb energy from the 

 air, might stimulate the seed to life. But without energy 

 of an electrical nature neither piece of apparatus can function. 

 In the studies in Electro-Physiology which follow I am 

 going to assume that my readers are acquainted with all 

 there is to be said upon the subject of botany and that 

 they have embrj^ology, so far as it is understood by anyone, 

 at their finger's ends. It will not only save me a great deal 

 of trouble, but what is, to me, of more importance, it will 

 enable me to concentrate upon germination in its electrical 

 aspect and to avoid many of the rocks and pitfalls of fear- 

 some words and occasionally misleading theory. Botany 

 should be a fascinating study to the young. It has been 

 made a heart-breaking one, for the student has almost to 

 master another language before he can become familiar 

 with the structure of a single blossom. Embryology, which 

 should hold more interest than any other branch of science, 

 is, like physiology, wanting a link, and without that link, 

 unsatisfying. We are told what happens, but not why 

 or how it happens. Students are taught that all vital func- 

 tions are due to chemical action and that kinetics play no 

 part in the phenomena. And with what result ? Take any 

 work upon Physiology, and what do we find ? The mechan- 

 ism of hearing " further investigation of hearing is called 

 for, the function of the Cochlea is imperfectly understood " ; 

 the eye : " We do not yet understand the phenomenon of 

 vision," and so forth. Physiology deals with the chemical 

 processes of the body and apart from them and histological 

 description, explains nothing. We are not told what 

 causes voluntary muscle to contract ; what the force is 



