126 OF MIND. 



at another, its increased activity is associated with a great 

 increase in the amount of the germinal matter. 



5. The principal change which takes place in a texture 

 which in health appears to be but slightly sensitive, and 

 becomes eminently so when inflamed, as the peritoneum, is 

 a very great increase in the germinal matter which it contains 

 and this often proceeds to such an extent that the ramifica- 

 tions of the nerves appear as lines of oval masses of ger- 

 minal matter, so that when a tissue which in the healthy 

 state gives no evidence of sensation becomes acutely pain- 

 ful when inflamed, the feeling of pain must be due in some 

 way to an increase of the germinal matter of the nerves as 

 well as that of other tissues. 



Of the Nerve Current. The nerve current itself probably 

 results in a great measure from changes occurring in the 

 germinal matter of the nerve centres, or more probably in 

 the chemical compounds immediately formed by it ; and the 

 masses of germinal matter in the peripheral nerve organs 

 most likely give origin to feeble currents in much the same 

 way. In disease the intensity of the currents formed at the 

 periphery of the nerves is probably increased. 



With regard to the nature of the nerve current little 

 positive is known, the general opinion of physiologists being 

 that it is some mode of force correlated with heat, electricity, 

 &c., but not exactly identical with any form or mode of 

 energy known. The arguments upon which this opinion 

 is based appear to me very inconclusive. Is it reasonable 

 to assume new modes or forms of force ? Surely the 

 evidence is strongly in favour of the view that the nerve 

 current is electricity, and I think that most, if not all, 



