CLASS IV. 1. 4. 6. OF ASSOCIATION. 397 



power of accumulating this fluid in themselves than others. Of 

 which a famous history of a Russian prince was lately published; 

 who, during the clear and severe frosts of that country, could not 

 move himself in bed without luminous corruscations. Such 

 may have been the case of those people, who have been related 

 to have taken fire spontaneously, and to have been reduced to 

 ashes. The electric concussion from the gymnotus electricus, and 

 torpedo, are other instances of the power of the animal system to 

 accumulate electricity, as in these it is used as a weapon of de- 

 fence, or for the purpose of taking their prey. 



Some have believed that the accumulation or passage of the 

 magnetic fluid might affect the animal system, and have asserted 

 that the application of a large magnet to an aching tooth has 

 quickly effected a cure. If this experiment is t again tried in 

 odontalgia, or hemicrania, the painful membrane of the tooth 

 or head should be included between the south and north poles of 

 a horse-shoe magnet, or between the contrary poles of two dif- 

 ferent magnets, that the magnetism may be accumulated on the 

 torpid part. 



6. Oxygenatio sanguinis. The variation of the quantity of 

 oxygen gas existing in the atmosphere must affect all breathing 

 animals; in its excess this too must be esteemed a stimulus; but 

 in its natural quantity would seem to act as an influence, or cause, 

 without which animal life cannot exist even a minute. It is 

 hoped that Dr. Beddoes's plan for a pneumatic infirmary, for the 

 purpose of putting this and various other airs to the test of ex- 

 periment, will meet with public encouragement, and render con- 

 sumption, asthma, cancer, and many diseases conquerable, which 

 at present prey with unremitted devastation on all orders and ages 

 of mankind. 



7. Humectatio corporis. Water, and probably the vapour of 

 water dissolved or diffused in the atmosphere, unites by mechani- 

 cal attraction with the unorganized cuticle, and softens and en- 

 larges it; as may be seen in the loose and wrinkled skin of the 

 hands of washerwomen; the same probably occurs to the mucous 

 membrane of the lungs in moist weather; and by thickening it 

 increases the difficulty of respiration of some people, who are 

 said to be asthmatical. So far water may be said to act as an 

 influx or influence, but when it is taken up by the mouths of the 

 absorbent system, it must excite those mouths into action, and 

 then acts as a stimulus. 



There appears from hence to be four methods by which ani- 

 mal bodies are penetrated by external things. 1 . By their stimu- 

 lus, which induces the absorbent vessels to imbibe them. 2. By 

 mechanical attraction, as when water softens the cuticle. 3. By 



