76 BLBOTRIO CONDITION OF THE CHAP. VIII. 



transverse section may act as the surface or longi- 

 tudinal section in regard to the artificial section or 

 the divided surface; and I do not think that the 

 existence of the para^electronomic layer can be suf- 

 ficiently made out, to account for the difference of 

 effect which may thus occur to justify us in employ- 

 ing these terms ; nevertheless, I perfectly agree vyith 

 Du Bois Ebymond, in considering that the side or 

 external surface, or perhaps the sarcolemma of the 

 muscle, and the base or ends of the muscular fibre, 

 are the important points to be in contact with the 

 electrodes for the production of muscular current, 

 and the similar parts in the nerve for the production 

 of the nerve current. 



3. The intensity of the muscular and nerve current 

 depends upon the vital conditions of the tissues; 

 the current does not subside immediately, after the 

 death of the animal, and evidently bears some re- 

 lation to the state of its nutrition. 



4. According to Matteuoci'', the intensity of the 

 muscular current varies as the length of the muscle 

 in the citcuit, and not according to the extent of its 

 transverse section. This proposition is, however, 

 rather difficult to prove ; for, if two muscles of the 

 same length, but of different thicknesses, be formed 

 into a circuit, the thicker muscle will be found to 

 give the more intense current, (and the same wUl be 

 found in regard to the neiTe;) and I cannot help 

 thinking, that Du Bois Eetmond is correct in con- 



•> Loc, cit. 



