ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE 63 



to stand about in wet boots, takes on a new and important 

 significance which ought to claim our belated respect. 

 They also, to my mind, afford evidence that trench foot is 

 probably caused by long-continued leakage of electricity 

 from the feet." 



In regard to experiment 2 it may be urged by the 

 supporters of the difference in metals theory that it does not 

 present any new feature, while the fact of there being no 

 deflection in experiment 3 can be explained by the absence 

 of moisture at one pole, and therefore of the improbability 

 of galvanic action taking place. Experiments 4 and 5, 

 however, are, to my mind, quite at variance with that 

 theory, and appear to negative the conclusions of those 

 who have been and are responsible for it. 



In my work upon Electro-Pathology and Therapeutics 

 I stated that the thumb of each hand was of opposite sign 

 to the fingers of each hand and carried a greater quantity 

 of current. 



Dr. E. W. Martin, who has had some few years' ex- 

 perience of my methods, has sent me the results of a series 

 of tests carried out by him, and gives his conclusions as 

 follows : 



" It would therefore appear that 

 " (a) There is no electrical current generated by two 

 metals in contact, even in the presence of moisture. 

 " (b) A current passes when both hands are in contact 



with both electrodes. 



" (c) That different conducting substances act differ- 

 ently in their relation to the body current. 

 " (d) That the current cannot be due to the moist skin 

 and metal only, as we find that in a complete 

 circuit from skin and metal to skin and metal 

 no current is set up so long as one hand only is 

 used. 



That the thumbs appear to be electrically as well 

 as anatomically in opposition to the fingers of the 



