68 PHYSIOLOGY. 



ed a great deal of nicety and attention. Sometimes a stimulus, 

 when first applied, excited a contraction, and after some time no 

 longer had the same effect, because the application had destroy- 

 ed the contractility in that portion ; but on cutting it off, the 

 same stimulus, applied to a fresh part, had the same effect. The 

 same happened with some sedative applications, of the sedative 

 effects of which he judged by this, that after an application 

 of them, a known stimulus had not its usual effects. Now, 

 from these experiments, thus frequently repeated and diversi- 

 fied, it appears that the matter, whatever it is, which thus sti- 

 mulates or shows a sedative power, acts upon us in the same 

 way, whether applied to the nerve or to the muscle ; and this 

 appears to me to be equal to the ordinary steps in a geometri- 

 cal demonstration : as A=C and B=C, therefore A=B ; 

 if we constantly find the same effects, we at least presume that 

 the passive matter is the same in both cases."" 



XCIII. The muscular fibres are sensible to various impres- 

 sions, and are otherwise organs of the sensations of conscious- 

 ness, (XL. 4. 5.) From this also, it is presumed, that the 

 muscular fibres consist of the same matter which is the subject 

 of sense in other parts of the nervous system, (XXXIX.) 



XCIV. From XCIL, XCIII., and other considerations, 

 we think it probable, that the muscular fibres are a continuation 

 of the medullary substance of the brain and nerves, as alleged, 

 (XXIX.) " So far the direct proof is to me in some measure 

 satisfying ; but many objections have been started to this opin- 

 ion, and I here, in the next place, endeavour to remove them." 



XCV. Though the muscular fibres consist of the same kind 

 of matter as that in the nerves, the latter shew no contractility, 

 because they have not the peculiar organization (LXXXII.) 

 of the former. " Dr. Haller labours much to establish a differ- 

 ence between the nervous and the inherent power; and he 

 employs an argument which he thinks decisive that the ner- 

 vous power depends upon life, and finishes with life ; but that 

 the inherent power remains after life has ceased. But I say" 



XCVI. The nervous power (LXXXVIL), and the in- 

 herent (L XXX VI.), may subsist for some time without any 

 connexion of the nerves or muscles with the brain ; and they 

 subsist also in entire bodies for some time after life has 



