108 



cause which produces contractions at the time of death, in mus- 

 cular tissues that is, very likely, carbonic acid.* 



Besides, I have found contractions of the cellular tissue of the 

 skin of the face, in animals killed by asphyxia, and on which the 

 facial nerve had been divided for many days or weeks. 



In the same man who had a paraplegia, and of whom I have 

 just spoken, I saw very strong contractions in the dartos, during 

 agony. 



In animals suddenly asphyxiated, after the destruction of the 

 dorso-lumbar part of the spinal cord, the seminal vesicles some- 

 times contract, and a slow ejaculation takes place, although there 

 is no erection. 



In the sphincter of the anus, when it is paralysed, there are 

 only slight contractions, but they are evident. 



The urinary bladder, during agony or after death, sometimes 

 contracts so much, even when it is paralysed, that all the urine 

 it contains is expelled. 



The ureters present very strong contractions, in animals 

 recently killed by asphyxia, and these contractions in some cases 

 are rhythmical. The same movements are seen when all the 

 urinary apparatus is in situ, and when it has been removed from 

 the abdomen, and therefore separated from the nervous centres. 

 The contraction begins at the kidney and thence is very quickly 

 propagated all along the ureters to their termination in the blad- 

 <der. Among the contractile tissues, that of the ureters is one 

 of the most irritable. 



Bidder and Schmidt, of Dorpat, have recently found that after 

 the division of the two pneumogastric nerves, there is more car- 

 bonic acid expelled by the lungs than usual. This fact is very 



* Kolliker has recently discovered fibro-muscular cells that is, mus- 

 cular fibres of organic life in the skin, and he maintains that the cutis 

 <ansertna is produced by these fibres, and not by the cellular fibres. I have 

 published facts which, I think, prove conclusively that the contractions in 

 the skin are in a great measure performed by the cellular tissue. (See 

 Oomptes Rendus de la Soc. de Biologic, 1849, t. i. pp. 134 et 157, et 1850, 

 t, ii. p. 132.) Since that time, I have found that in some cartilaginous 

 fishes, in which the iris does not contain any muscular fibre, and is com- 

 posed of cellular tissue, this membrane may be the seat of considerable 

 contractions ; so that I consider it as perfectly certain that the cellular tissue 

 /at least in some organs) is contractile. 



