70 ENDOSMOSE. L.ECT. III. 



after they have soaked a whole night in water, we observe 

 no elevation in the liquids of the endosmometers, or the 

 elevation, which is always slight, is equal in the two tubes. 

 We can, in some cases, explain the anomalies presented by 

 the bladders in this state. Thus any one can perceive on 

 a wet bladder, that the muscular fibres are swollen, in pro- 

 portion to the time the bladder has been in water. These 

 muscular fasciculi acquire thus a certain thickness, they 

 approximate to one another, and acquire, in some degree, 

 a condition analogous to that of freshness. But we have 

 several times seen that endosmose does not take place with 

 bladders, gizzards, and fresh stomachs, from which the 

 muscular lamina? had not been removed. If the bladder be 

 slightly moistened, the muscular bundles are, it is true, a 

 little more expanded, but nevertheless there exist between 

 them interstices through which endosmose certainly takes 

 place : the inequality of the interstices, however, even in 

 two symmetrical portions of the same bladder, must produce 

 vague and uncertain results. 



We have only employed the gizzard of the fowl in a more 

 or less altered state, in order to determine what influence 

 putrefaction has over the phenomenon of endosmose ; a 

 great uncertainty exists with respect to the results furnished 

 by the gizzard in this state. Sometimes, indeed, the liquid 

 did not pass at all, sometimes it had an equal elevation in 

 both instruments. Whatever were the liquids employed, or 

 the position of the membrane, endosmose was energetic, 

 but sometimes in one direction, and sometimes in the other; 

 and occasionally, indeed, it was depressed to the level of 

 the liquids in both instruments. In speaking elsewhere of 

 that which we observed in making use of the skin and gas- 

 tric mucous membrane of certain animals, we have remarked 

 that the phenomena of endosmose vary according as we em- 

 ploy these membranes immediately after death, or some hours 



