270 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



EXPERIMENT X. 



This rabbit was decapitated, and the spinal cord was 

 destroyed by means of a heated wire. A few drops of the 

 spirits of wine were applied to the vena cava, as in the 

 above case. The contractions of the heart were quickened, 

 and, after a few seconds, when the increased action had 

 subsided, a few drops more were applied to the vena cava 

 immediately before it enters the thorax : the contractions 

 of the heart were again affected, as in the first instance. 



CCXC. The above experiments prove, that 

 the extent of surface is to be considered as 

 merely facilitating absorption, and not as pre- 

 senting a greater mass of the nervous system to 

 the influence of the agents we employ. If we 

 diminish the surface and increase the facili- 

 ties of absorption by applying the materials near 

 the large veins at the base of the brain, we have 

 effects equally well marked as when we occupy 

 an extensive surface of the organ. WILSON PHI- 

 LIP observes, " It is evident that the heart not 

 being subject to stimuli, whose action is con- 

 fined to a small portion of this organ, and being 

 equally affected through all parts of it, must 

 render it much less subject to irregular action. 7 '* 

 If the heart be subject to the whole brain, it will 

 be capable of being excited or depressed by a 

 concentration of influence to any single part ; and 

 this was proved in a very satisfactory manner by 

 some of the preceding experiments, In Experi- 



* WILSON PHILIP, p. 117. 



