CHAP. IV. §. U. DTJBING BILIABT SEOBETION. 37 



quently received at Faeadat's hands ; the fact being, 

 that the chemical action which occurs is the cause 

 of the power, or, in other words, the current is a 

 mere manifestation of the chemical action that is 

 taking place. I shall now pass on to the consi- 

 deration of the manifestation of current force during 

 secretion in other organs ; and first, in the liver. 



Sect. II. On the Manifestation of Current Force 

 during Biliary Secretion. 



If the platinum electrodes of the galvanometer be 

 inserted one into the gall-bladder, and the other into 

 the hepatic vein, or which will be found better still, 

 in consequence of the blood flowing over the in- 

 testines, into the vena cava ascendens in the chest, we 

 then obtain evidence of the manifestation of current 

 force ; the electrode in contact with the blood in the 

 vein being positive to the other in contact with the 

 bile in the gall-bladder. The amount of deflection 

 of the needle varies from 5° to 10°. 



When the electrode, instead of being inserted 

 into the hepatic vein or into the vena cava ascendens, 

 is inserted into the vena porta, the other remaining 

 in the gall-bladder, the former will still indicate a 

 positive state ; but the effect upon the needle is not 

 so great. 



Other circuits were formed ; viz. between clots of 

 blood and pieces of liver; between the mucous 

 membrane of the intestines and the gall-bladder ; 

 between the blood in the chest and various parts of 



