PART I.J Results of Section of Splanchnic and Mesenteric Nei^es. 133 



in the recent fluid, and that in all, the numbers present appeared to bear an inverse 

 ratio to the number and activity of the bioplasts. 



It will be seen that this series of experiments also failed to induce lesions or 

 phenomena identical in nature with those of cholera ; nay more, the affections of 

 the intestine here present, appeared rather to be the result of local disturbance of 

 the circulation excited by the inflammatory action induced by the introduction 

 of extraneous matter into the peritoneal cavity than of the action of any specific 

 agent ; in this series likewise, no special action appeared to be excited by choleraic as 

 contrasted with other material. Taken together, the entire series of these preliminary 

 experiments has not afforded any evidence in favour of the existence of a specific 

 poison contained in choleraic excreta, peculiar to them alone, and giving rise to 

 special phenomena when introduced into the system. The number of our experiments 

 do not appear to us to warrant any definite conclusion regarding a difference in degree, 

 in toxic influence between the two classes of materials ; they merely indicate the 

 absence of any special action peculiar to one and absent in the other when introduced 

 into the system by special channels. 



It must, however, be evident at first sight that the results obtained from these 

 experiments, have a most important practical bearing on sanitation, seeing that they 

 point most distinctly to the influence of decomposing organic matters in the production 

 of intestinal disease ; and show, moreover, that this influence may exist in a most 

 potent form without its presence being in any degree proportionately indicated by 

 the amount of foetor associated with it. 



III.— EXPERIMENTS ON THE SECTION OF THE SPLANCHNIC AND 



MESENTERIC NERVES. 



When we had satisfied ourselves that decomposing organic matters introduced into 

 the circulation exerted the special if not specific actions previously described, on the 

 intestinal mucous membrane, but an action producing lesions materially differing from 

 those characteristic of cholera, we were naturally led to consider the principal points 

 of dissimilarity with a view to ascertain whether future experiments might not be 

 susceptible of any modifications calculated to attain more consonant results. 



In doing so, one of the most striking differences, which at once presented itself 

 to observation, one, too, in regard to which there could be no debate, was the almost 

 total absence of any increased secretion of fluid from the mucous membrane, however 

 profoundly the latter might have been otherwise affected. 



We had then to consider by what means we might best promote such an increased 

 secretion, so that by combining its employment with the experiments as previously 



