PREFACE. 



IT has been the aim of the author, in compiling this little volume, 

 to give an outline of experimental physiology for the guidance of 

 students, in a brief and concise form, and sufficiently comprehen- 

 sive in the subject-matter considered. 



Descriptions of apparatus and illustrations have, to a large 

 extent, been omitted, since these are more properly the function 

 of the instructor and of the student himself. For the same rea- 

 son, results and conclusions of experiments have been left to the 

 student to work out for himself, the descriptions in the text being 

 largely confined to methods of procedure involved in obtaining 

 the results. 



The arrangement of chapters and experiments can be modified 

 to suit the individual instructor. The more difficult experiments 

 may, if desired, be given as demonstrations. It has been the ex- 

 perience of the author that students work best in groups of two 

 for the simpler experiments, and of four for the more complicated 

 experiments. 



The selection of the experiments presented has been made with 

 a view to the needs of the medical student and to the practical 

 application of the first-hand knowledge, obtained in the labora- 

 tory, to medical problems, later. At the same time, it must be 

 borne in mind that one of the main benefits to be obtained from 

 laboratory work is the training in methods of exact observation 

 which the students receive. 



The chapter on vision was prepared by Dr. Lee Hasten Francis, 

 to whom I take this opportunity to express my thanks. 



BUFFALO, N. Y., September, 1905. 



