76 Dr. Wilson. Philip 



this view of the subject appearing best calculated to convey an 

 idea of the manner in which its evolution takes place. I know 

 of no definition of the term secretion, as applied to the matter 

 secreted, but a tertium quid produced by the action on each other 

 of the nervous influence and the blood. 



Such is a cursory view of the proofs that the functions of the 

 nervous influence are those above stated, namely, to convey im- 

 pressions to and from the sensorium, to excite the muscular 

 fibre, to separate and recombine the elementary parts of the 

 blood in the formation of the secreted fluids, and to cause an 

 evolution of caloric from the blood. We are now to inquire how 

 far galvanism is capable of these functions. 



That galvanism is capable of passing along the nerves both to 

 and from the sensorium, and therefore of conveying impressions 

 in either direction, will not be questioned. 



It will also be admitted, that it is not only capable of acting 

 as a stimulus to the muscular fibre, but that, with the exception 

 of the nervous influence itself, we know of no other agent which 

 possesses this property in so remarkable a degree. 



With regard to the function of secretion, that galvanism is 

 capable of decomposing and recombining the elementary parts of 

 the blood in precisely the same way in which they are decomposed 

 and recombined by the nervous influence, if applied to that fluid 

 under the same circumstances, appears from experiments related 

 in my Inquiry*, which were not performed in private, but in the 

 presence of many competent witnesses ; and nrit by me alone, 

 but by others in my absence with the same results. 



That galvanism is capable of causing an evolution of caloric 

 from arterial blood, that is blood which has not already under- 

 gone the secreting process, appears also from experiments related 

 in the same Inquiry \. 



It is further shewn in that Inquiry, that in the human body 

 itself, galvanism can be made to perform the functions of the 

 nervous influence. In apoplexy, for example, where we see, 

 from the failure of this influence, the function of the lungs im- 



* Exper. TO, 71, 72, 73. f Exper. /6, 77, 78, 79. 



