Glasgow Literary Society. 57 
author notices particularly the researches of Dr. Wilson Philip 
on the relation between Voltaic electricity and the phenomena 
of life, of which we have given some accounts in our preceding 
volumes. ‘The author gives the following detail of his experi- 
ments * : 
“‘ The subject of these experiments was a middle-sized, athle- 
tic, and extremely muscular man, about thirty years of age. He 
was suspended from the gallows nearly an hour, and made no 
convulsive struggle after he dropped; while a thief executed along 
with him, was violently agitated for a considerable time. He 
was brought to the anatomical theatre of our University in about 
ten minutes after he was cut down. His face had a perfectly 
natural aspect, being neither livid nor tumefied; and there was 
no dislocation of his neck. 
‘€ Dr. Jeffray, the distinguished Professor of Anatomy, having 
on the preceding day requested me to perform the galvanic ex- 
‘periments, I sent to his theatre with this view, next morning, my 
minor Voltaic battery, consisting of 270. pairs of four-inch plates, 
with wires of communication, and pointed metallic rods with in- 
sulating handles, for the more commodious application of the 
electric power. About five minutes before the police officers 
arrived with the body, the battery was charged with a dilute 
nitro-sulphuric acid, which speedily brought it into a state of in- 
tense action. ‘The dissections were skilfully executed by Mr. 
Marshall, under the supérintendance of the Professor. 
‘¢ Exp. 1.—A large incision was made into the nape of the 
neck, close below the occiput, The posterior half of the atlas 
vertebra was then removed by bone forceps, when the spinal 
marrow was brought into view. A considerable incision was 
at the same time made in the left hip, through the great gluteal 
muscle, so as to bring the sciatic nerve into sight; and a small 
cut was made in the heel. From neither of these did any blood 
flow. The pointed rod connected with one end of the battery 
was now placed in contact with the spinal marrow, while the other 
rod was applied to the sciatic nerve. Every muscle of the body 
was immediately agitated with convulsive movements, resembling 
a violent shuddering from cold. The left side was most power- 
fully convulsed at each renewal of the electric contact. On mov- 
ing the second rod from the hip to the heel, the knee being pre- 
viously bent, the leg was thrown out with such violence as nearly 
to overturn one of the assistants, who in vain attempted to pre- 
vent its extension. 
“¢ Exp. 2.—The left phrenic nerve was now laid bare at the 
outer edge of the sterno-thyroideus muscle, from three to four 
inches above the clavicle; the cutaneous incision having been 
* Journal of Science and the Arts, No. XII. 
made 
