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given off', the iniisele or nerve is in action, in<luced i 

 any sneli exciting" cause. It need scarcely Ije ac 

 that when muscular or nervous energy exists tioni 

 action of this agent, lieat is genei'ated. This correlc 

 is universal. This transmission of nerve force exp] 

 much that is otherwise inex})lica])le, where thei 

 diffluence or disorganization of nervn^ tissue, for ^ 

 then its power of conveying this agent is not destrc 

 It is even asserted l>y pathologists that the ap})rop 

 function is still j)reserved, through hroken down ti 

 This fluid is ])ut in motion by friction and irritatio 

 the one hand, or by volition, emotion, afJ'ection or dc 

 on the other. The nerves are excited by these curr 

 when the repulsion of the ultimate elements from ■ 

 natural state of rest are temporarily reversed ; in cl 

 ological ordei' the same results follow in muscular i 

 This brings sections or molecules into appositio 

 their natural polarity ; j^^'^^^ forces or negative state 

 respective contact, will result in contraction of the ] 

 affected. This condition explains the sudden invj 

 and departure of pathological causes, accompanie( 

 spasms, fits, convulsions ; also, the rhythmic movju 

 of so-called automatic life. In this act of shorte; 

 electrical action produces heat, and with it, ultima 

 exhaustion, analogous to that seen in the torpedo, 

 chemical union or decomposition, the same effect 

 always seen, and living tissues are not an excepti( 

 this general law. These changes of conditions 

 positive to negative, and vice versa, are sudden in 

 effects, and may be transitory. Exciting causes 

 continue then for a short time, until feeble action 

 pels at least intermittent secession of this conditio 

 order to give time to accumulate fresh force, as i 

 case in a battery. We can not grip continuously, 

 suffer when ^ve keep our body in one position 1 



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