322 niESENT STATE OF ORGANIC ELECTRICITY. 



1. During biliary secretion, the bile and venous blood flow- 

 ing from the hepatic veins are in opposite electric states. 



2. During urinary secretion, the urine and venous blood 

 flowing from the renal vein are in oj^jMsite electric states. 



3. During mammary secretion, the milk and the venous 

 blood flowing from the mammary veins, are in opposite electric 

 states. 



In these experiments on glandular action, as in those de- 

 scribed above on the alimentary mucous membrane, the venous 

 blood was found to be positive, producing a deflection of the 

 needle to the extent of 3°, 4°, 5°, 8°, 10°. 



TJie Electric Relations of the Respiratory Mucous Membrane 

 and the Pulmonic Blood. — Mr. Baxter, having ascertained that 

 the venous blood flowing from a secreting membrane or gland, 

 is in a positive electric condition, applied one electrode in 

 contact with the mucous membrane of the lung, and the other 

 in contact with the blood flowing from it — i.e. the arterial blood. 

 He thus found the blood of the pulmonary veins, or of the 

 left ventricle, invariably positive, producing a deflection of 

 2°, 3°, 4°, or 5°. At the same time, he ascertained that when 

 the respiratory mucous membrane and the blood of the right 

 ventricle are connected, a deflection of 2°, 3°, or 4°, occasionally 

 occurred. All his experiments tended to the same conclusion — 

 viz. that the blood of the pulmonary veins is positive ; and 

 that when a circuit is formed between the mucous membrane 

 of the lung, and the blood in the left ventricle of the heart, 

 a current is produced. 



TJie Electric Properties of Muscle. — Galvani having dis- 

 covered and investigated the contractions produced by elec- 

 tricity in the muscles of the frog, * afterwards observed similar 

 contractions when two dissimilar metals, in contact with one 

 another, are also brought into contact with the nerve and 

 muscles respectively of the frog's leg.f At first he appears to 

 * De Viribus Electricitatis, etc. t Ibid. 



