276 THE LAWS OF OBGANIC 



live wire was afterwards brought in contact with the vena 

 cava in the abdomen ; the heart was again excited, but did 

 not present the same peculiarity. 



EXPERIMENT II. 



The negative wire, in the preceding experiment, was in 

 contact with the heart, the positive was connected with the 

 mucous membrane of the nose ; the contractions of the 

 heart were instantly renewed. The same effect was observed 

 on the positive wire being placed in the substance of the 

 brain. 



EXPERIMENT III. 



Galvanism was employed as in the two preceding examples, 

 but the results were scarcely perceptible. This is proba- 

 bly to be attributed to the loss of nervous irritability, the 

 contractions of the heart having been previously arrested 

 by prussic acid applied to the brain, and to the heart it- 

 self. 



EXPERIMENT IV. 



In this experiment the positive wire was connected with 

 the heart, and the negative brought in contact with the 

 mucous membrane of the nose. The motions of the heart 

 were instantly renewed, characterised by the vermicular 

 contraction previously alluded to ; the negative was then 

 connected with the par vagum, and subsequently with the 

 jugular vein, at all times isolated, and the same effects 

 occurred. 



EXPERIMENT V. 



In this experiment the wires were placed as in the pre- 

 ceding, and the results were the same. A curious cir- 

 cumstance occurred in this experiment, which is worthy 



