26 ANALOGY OF ELECTRICITY 



ance of Dr. Philip himself and Sir Benjamin Brodie, was not 

 enabled, by any means of mechanical irritation, to produce those 

 effects which are upon all hands admitted to follow upon the 

 due application of the electric current. 



From this subject, we now pass to the consideration of the 



ANALOGY OF ELECTRICITY WITH NERVOUS INFLUENCE. 



From what we have previously said, it will be evident that a 

 remarkable analogy exists between the Galvanic energy, and 

 the nervous influence ; the former of which may be made, as 

 in the experiments of Dr. Philip, to supply the place of the 

 latter. The investigations which have been made into the 

 anatomical structure and the nature of the phenomena evinced 

 by the gymnotus, torpedo, silurus, &c. clearly prove that the 

 effects they produce, are not the result of a peculiar force 

 evidenced by these fish, but is the common one of nervism, 

 and the force which traverses all nerves may be electricity. 

 This is a notion which has long been entertained by many of 

 our ablest physiologists ; for experiment shews us, that a current 

 of electricity, sent along the different nerves, produces effects 

 precisely analogous to those which are consequent upon the 

 transit of the nervous force : if it be sent along motor nerves, 

 muscular action is the result ; along sensitive ones, we affect the 

 sensation peculiar to that nerve. But it may be argued, that 

 if we assume that the nervous force is electrical, because a 

 current of electricity sent along the nerves will give rise to 

 effects simulating the vital functions, we ought, upon the 

 principle of action and reaction, to be able, during the natural 

 performance of these functions, to detect a current of electricity. 

 Many experiments have been made, for the purpose of ascertaining 

 whether this is the case, and generally these experiments have 

 been successful in their results ; and not only in the lower 

 animals, but in man have these researches been carried on. 

 Later observers assert that the current of electricity is increased 

 after spirituous drinks, but diminished as the body cools ; in 

 other words, it is in the ratio of the chemical changes of the 

 respiration. Matteucci has observed a deviation of the galvano- 



