Objections and Rejoinders 



in any case, the injections, though hastily 

 administered, do not diverge from a close 

 vicinity of the ganglia, for their field of ac- 

 tion is very limited, as is proved by the 

 number of inoculations necessary to induce 

 complete torpor, or, more simply, by the 

 following example. 



A Grey Worm which had just received its 

 first sting on the third thoracic segment re- 

 pulses the Ammophila and with a jerk hurls 

 her to a distance. I profit by the occasion 

 and take hold of the grub. The legs of this 

 third segment only are paralysed; the others 

 retain their usual mobility. However help- 

 less in the two injured legs, the animal can 

 walk very well; it buries itself in the earth, 

 returning to the surface at night to gnaw 

 the stump of lettuce with which I have served 

 it. For a fortnight my paralytic retains 

 perfect liberty of action, except in the seg- 

 ment operated on; then it dies, not of its 

 wound but accidentally. All this time the 

 effect of the poison has not spread beyond 

 the inoculated segment. 



At any point where the sting enters, an- 

 atomy informs us of the presence of a ner- 

 vous nucleus. Is this centre directly smitten 

 by the weapon? Or is it poisoned with 

 virus, from a very small distance, by the 

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