AND A^ 7 IMAL LIFE. 269 



immediately beneath the diaphragm, in two opposite direc- 

 tions, until the scalpel touched the two sides of the spine, 

 for the purpose of destroying all lateral connexion. When 

 this operation was finished the bowels were removed, and 

 a few drops of the spirits of wine were applied to the vena 

 cava immediately above the pelvis. Before the application 

 of these the beatings of the heart were almost imperceptible, 

 but in a little less than a minute they acquired compara- 

 tive frequency and force for about 40 seconds. 



EXPERIMENT VIIL 



The animal being made insensible, the chest was laid 

 open, that we might observe the motions of the heart. 

 The jugular vein was then opened, and two drops of prus- 

 sic acid were introduced through a blow -pipe ; the con- 

 tractions of the heart instantly ceased. I have performed 

 this experiment several times; the results were always 

 evident, but never so obvious as in this instance. 



EXPERIMENT IX. 



In this experiment it was intended that the brain should 

 have been removed and the spinal cord destroyed. The 

 former was accomplished with a greater loss of blood than 

 usually occurs, owing to an accident attending one of the 

 ligatures ; and two of the lumbar vertebrae were separated 

 in order to introduce the heated wire ; but every wire we 

 had provided was found too large ; therefore, in this expe- 

 riment, the brain alone was removed. The chest being 

 opened, as before, an aperture was made in the abdomen 

 to allow the operator to lay aside the intestines. A few 

 drops of the spirits of wine were applied to the vena cava, 

 as in Experiment VII. ; the heart, for a few seconds, had 

 its motions accelerated, but these, in a few minutes, com- 

 pletely ceased. 



