334 LABORATORY GUIDE IN PHYSIOLOGY. , 



liarize himself with the technique of the subject and may 

 demonstrate for himself the more fundamental facts of this 

 science. The laboratory exercises should be coordinated 

 with the recitations and demonstrations as far as it is pos- 

 sible to do so. 



The first half of the first semester (eight weeks) should 

 be spent in a study of the physiology of the cell as il- 

 lustrated in unicellular plants and animals. While the 

 student is studying the morphology of the protococcus, 

 the yeast cell, the amceba and the paramcecium in the 

 biological course he may profitably study the physiology of 

 these organisms from such a text as, " The Cell" (Hert- 

 wig), and should repeat in the laboratory the experiments 

 mentioned in Hertwig's book. " Allgemeine Physi- 

 ologic " (Max Verworn, Jena, 1895) is a valuable help to 

 the instructor who is conducting such a course. 



The second half of the first semester may be spent on 

 muscle-nerve physiology. Having already studied the 

 reaction of amoeba and paramcecium to electricity, and hav- 

 ing studied, in general histology, the structure of muscle 

 fibers and cells, and nerve fibers and cells; further having 

 made careful dissections of frogs and other vertebrate ani- 

 mals the student is in a position to comprehend and appre- 

 ciate the reaction of muscle tissue in response to varicus 

 direct stimuli and to indirect stimuli applied to the nerve. 

 The frog-heart and the "muscle-nerve preparation" are 

 most used for such experiments. 



Beginning with the second semester or second half of 

 the first year the general subject of nutrition should be be- 

 gun. Whether one introduces this field of physiology 

 with the study of the circulatory system or of the digestive 

 system is a matter of little consequence. The problems 

 of the circulation being, for the most part, physical prob- 

 lems, would seem to justify the consideration of that sub- 



