378 



May 10, 1855. 

 The LORD WROTTESLEY, President, in the Chair. 



The reading of Mr. CAYLEY'S Papers on the Partition of Numbers 

 was resumed and concluded. 



The following communications were read : 



I. "An Experimental Inquiry undertaken with the view of 

 ascertaining whether any force is evolved during Muscular 

 Contraction analogous to the force evolved in the Fish, 

 Gymnotus, and Torpedo." By HENRY FOSTER BAXTER, 

 Esq. Communicated by Sir B. C. BRODIE, Bart., V.P.R.S. 

 Received April 17, 1855. 



After referring to the results obtained by Matteucci by means of 

 the frog, by Du Bois-Reymond by means of the galvanometer, and 

 those of Zantedeschi, Buff, Tyndall, Despretz, Becquerel anil 

 Matteucci in reference to Du Bois-Reymond's experiments ; in re- 

 peating the experiments of Du Bois-Reymond, the author has 

 been led to the following conclusions : 



First. That during muscular contraction in man and in frogs an 

 effect upon the galvanometer may be obtained, indicating the mani- 

 festation of an electric current ; and 



Secondly, That this manifestation of an electric current is due, in 

 a great measure, to secondary reactions, viz. between the animal 

 secretions and the solutions on the one hand, and between the solu- 

 tions and the surfaces of the platinum electrodes on the other ; but 

 that there nevertheless remains a residual effect, which we cannot 

 refer to either of these actions, or to those pointed out by Du Bois- 

 Reymond. 



The principal reasons upon which the author considers that the 

 effects cannot be entirely referred to secondary actions are these : 

 1st. The current due to muscular contraction may be made to over- 



