Academy of Sciences, Tztrin^ ^t 



doubt in regard to the irritable niufcular contraftility of 

 the arteries, and of the inHuence which the nerves have iu 

 Uteir action. 



5th. By arming the anterior nervous branches of the latl 

 ^pfii\\ nerves and of the thoracic conduit, and eftabhAiincr a 

 connnunicalion between that conduit and an extremitv of 

 the pile, and the armed nerves and the other extremity, 

 evident contra6lions were produced in the thoracic canal. 

 Phyfiologiits know what difpiites have taken place for and 

 againCt the irritable contractility of this canal. The experi- 

 ments of the Galvanic conniuttee of Turin remove all doubt^ 

 on.;he UibjeiSt: in a deciiive manner it prefents, for the firft 

 time, an irrefra<j;able proof of the irritability of the canal of 

 the chyle, and of the exiftence of niulcular fibres in the tili'ue 

 of that canal. 



6th. One of the eyes was plucked from its orbit, and laid 

 on a plate of glafs armed with a plate of lead, fo that the 

 pofterior part of the ball of the eye, the trunk of the optio 

 nerve, and the nervous branches of the lenticular ganglion, 

 were in eontaa with the plate of lead: a communication 

 was then formed between the plate of lead and one extremitv 

 of the pile and tlic felerotica, and between the tranfparcn't 

 cornea and the other extremity of the lame pile, by means 

 ot exciting arcs. 



The fptCtators were greatly afioniflied to fee the pupil 

 inftantly contract. An incifion w as made in the cornea ; and 

 a fine gold wire being brought into immediate contaft with 

 the iris and the lalt filaments of the ciliary nerves, a move- 

 ment was obferved in the iris, and a greater contraction iu 

 the pnpil. Tbere are irritable libres then in the iris, not- 

 withihuidiiig what many authors have faid to the contrary. 

 Ikit what is the direftioii of ihefe fibres ? The profefibrs pro- 

 pofe to make this a future object of refearch. 



7tb. By introducing an arming of lead into the anus, and 

 making it communicate with the pile, while another com- 

 munication was eftablidicd between the furface of the in- 

 teftines and the other extremity of the pile, eviilent contrac- 

 tions were produced in the mufcular tunic of the intelliiies. 

 efpecially when uncovered by the fcparation of the exterior 

 membranous tunic, a conlit'uialion of the peritoneum. 



8th. A long portion of the right anterior nuiicle of the les; 

 being extended on a plate of glafs armed with two plates oV 

 lead, the two extremities of the mufcle, when touched by the 

 two cntis nf the are, without the intervention of the piks ap- 

 jjroached vach other, and the nerve immcdiatelv bocinic 



ihonencd 



