58 STUDIES IN ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGY: 



conveying the currents of electricity supposedly emanating 

 from them to the coils of the recording instrument. These 

 electrodes were, and are, moistened with some liquid, and 

 as all moist substances absorb electricity as a sponge 

 absorbs water to the limit of its capacity, it follows that 

 unless each electrode is of exactly the same area and 

 density, there will be a controlling current from one of the 

 two. It also follows that if one electrode has a thousandth 

 part more moisture than the other, an opposing electro- 

 motive force, so to speak, may be exerted by it, and 

 furthermore, disregarding minor details, those electro- 

 motive forces would be liable to variation from time to 

 time by 



(1) The number of persons present in the laboratory ; 



the length of time they remained there, and their 

 respective neuro-electrical signs and electro- 

 motive forces. 



(2) The nature of the liquid or liquids employed. 



(3) The degree of absorption. 



(4) The area of the electrodes ; and 



(5) The amount of moisture present in the object or 



subject under examination. 



Let us suppose A and B to have been experimenting 

 with a piece of excised muscle in a moist condition and to 

 have obtained certain data. Their results woyld always 

 check, because the muscle would invariably have a charge 

 equal to 200 mm. negative. 



Two other persons, C and D, question the accuracy of 

 the published results of A and B, and proceed to verify or 

 disprove them. C, let us say, = 300 mm. positive and 

 D 150 mm. negative. The resultant charge would, of 

 course, be representative of 150 mm. positive, the muscle 

 would be differently electrified, and the data obtained could 

 not agree with the results of A and B. In the same manner 

 E and F may prove both A and B and C and D to have 



