. PHENOMENA OF THE SHOCK. 199 



muscles. At the moment that the current begins to circu- 

 late in the nerve of this organ, it excites the discharge ; if 

 it continue to traverse it, the discharge no longer takes place, 

 but we can renew it by interrupting the current. 



Whilst the organ is very fresh, and just separated from 

 the living animal, the effects described belong to the direct 

 current (that is to say, to a current which proceeds in the 

 direction of the ramification of the nerve) as well as to 

 the inverse current. But in proportion as the action of the 

 current becomes weaker, the phenomena change ; that is 

 to say, the direct current excites the discharge only at its 

 entrance, and the inverse current only at the moment of its 

 interruption. The same result takes place, as we shall here- 

 after find, when the current acts on the mixed nerves and 

 excites the contraction of the muscles. 



It should also be observed, that in order to excite the 

 discharge, the current must be made to act nearer and 

 nearer the peripheral extremity of the nerves, in propor- 

 tion as the vitality of the separated electric organ grows 

 weaker. It also follows, from these facts, that the circula- 

 tion of the blood is not absolutely necessary to the electric 

 discharge, since the organ preserves this faculty even when 

 separated from the animal, when deprived of blood, and 

 when the circulation in it no longer takes place. 



The discharge has been found to continue after the pa- 

 renchyma of the organ has been pierced and cut in various 

 directions, even when the organ had been completely sepa- 

 rated from the torpedo; but it ceases when we coagulate 

 the albumen, of which it is in a great part composed, by 

 plunging it into boiling water, or by bringing in contact 

 with it an acid. 



All these facts prove the influence of the will of the ani- 

 mal over the discharge, an influence which is exercised 

 by means of the nerves supplied to the organ. 



