102 polar:zed CONDITION OF Tsaa; QpAP-- ix* 



any other source traverses a nerve or ntsScle* th^i 

 muscle or nerve forms a part of the conduetoi:,-,aS;any. 

 other moist substance or fluid (electrolyte) might do, 

 and becomes polarized; the polarized condition o^ 

 the muscle or nerve under these circumstances being 

 manifested, as the other points of the circuit, in the 

 longitudinal direction, one extremity being positive 

 or negative to the other ; and when the electrodes 

 of a galvanometer are applied, one to each end, an 

 electric current is manifested. Nothing of this sort, 

 however, is manifested in the normal polarized 

 condition of the muscular or nerve fibre as it exists 

 in the animal body; the polar action, as then 

 manifested by the galvanometer, is in the transverse 

 direction, or, more correctly speaking, the tissue is 

 in one electric state negative, and the positive state is 

 external to it either in the sarcolemma or neurilemma, 

 or in the blood. Hence we see the impoi-tant 

 difference between these two modes or conditions or 

 states. To suppose, therefore, that an electric 

 current, in traversing a muscle or nerve, increases 

 its normal polarized condition, would only lead to 

 erroneous ideas of the subject; it may, however, 

 induce a change, under certain circumstances;' in 

 the condition of the nerve, tantamount to an in- 

 creased action of the nerve or nerve force ; but it.may 

 be very much doubted, without knowing what this 

 change is, whether we should be justified in calling 

 it an increase of its natural polarised condition. 

 . Since, then, the nerve fibre and the muscular 



