40 Mr. H. F. Baxter on the luanij'estuiion of Current Force 



Between the mucous membrane and the surface of the mesen- 

 tery; the laitcv posit ire 5^. 



Between the blood flowing from a vein (mesenteric) and the 

 chyle from a wounded lacteal vessel ; no eflx-ct. 



No effect ensued when a circuit was formed between the blood 

 and the surface of the mesentery^, or between the chyle from a 

 wounded lacteal vessel and the surface of the mesentery. 



Chyle semi-opake. 



Eap. 7. In this experiment a rabbit was killed in the same 

 manner, but three hours after a similar meal, and under the same 

 circumstances. As the results were identical, it will be unneces- 

 sary to relate them. 



Exp. 8. Cat. — Prussic acid, a small quantity poured into the 

 mouth, three hours after a meal of bread and milk. 



Between the mucous membrane of the small intestine and a 

 wounded lacteal vessel; the latter positive 10°. An effect oc- 

 curred upon the needle on whatever part of the mesentery the 

 latter electrode was ])laeedj and nearly to the same amount. 

 The lacteals contained a transparent fluid. 



E.rp. 9. Cat. — Pi'ussic acid dropped on the tongue, four hours 

 after a meal of I'aw meat and a very small quantity of bread and 

 milk. 



In this case the electrode in contact with the mucous mem- 

 brane was negative 8° to that in contact with, the chyle from a 

 wounded lacteal vessel, or in contact with the mesentery : chyle 

 transparent. We have not thought it necessary to relate the 

 various circuits that were formed with the different organs or 

 substances, together with the results in all these experiments, 

 having already referred to similar circuits in our former paper. 



From these experiments, we feel ourselves justified in drawing 

 the following inferences : — 



1st. That when one electrode is in contact with the mucous 

 surface of the intestine, and the other in contact with the chyle 

 flowing from the same part, an effect occurs upon the needle 

 indicating the chyle to be positive to the contents of the intes- 

 tine; and — 



2nd. That this effect occurs during the organic process of 

 lacteal absorption. 



It may be urged that these experiments prove too much : that 

 not only do we obtain an effect upon the needle when the elec- 

 trodes are brought into contact with the mucous surface and the 

 chyle, but also when the mucous surface and the blood are formed 

 into a circuit, or even with the surface of the mesentery. This 

 argument, however, cannot be adduced as disproving the suppo- 

 sition that the chyle and the intestinal contents may be in op- 

 posite electric states. We have the 2J0sitive fact, that the needle 



