X PLANT RESPONSE 



It has been shown finally that there is no physiological 

 response given by the most highly organised animal tissue 

 that is not also to be met with in the plant. This was proved 

 in detail in the case of the identical polar effects induced in 

 both by electrical currents ; in the conduction of the excitatory 

 impulse to a distance ; in the possibility of detecting the 

 excitatory wave in transit and measuring its rate ; and in the 

 appropriate modification of its velocity by different agencies, 

 even in the case of ordinary plants ; in the passing of multiple 

 into autonomous response in vegetable tissues ; in the light 

 thrown by this phenomenon on the causes of rhythmicity in 

 animal tissues ; in the similar effects of drugs on animal and 

 vegetable tissues, and in the modifications introduced into 

 these effects by the factor of individual ' constitution.' This 

 identity of effects, indeed, as between the responses of plant 

 and animal, is so deep and so extended, that it is to be 

 anticipated that as several of the obscure problems of animal 

 physiology have already been found elucidated by means of 

 these researches carried out on plants, so others will be 

 found capable of explanation by similar means in the near 

 future. 



In conclusion, I wish to say that from my assistant, 

 Mr. J. Roy, and my pupils, Messrs. A. C. Basu, S. C. Acharya, 

 S. Chakravarty, N. Roy, and S. Gosvvami, I have received 

 able assistance at various periods during the course of these 

 long and extended investigations. 



J. C. BOSE. 



Presidency College, Calcutta : 

 July 1905. 



