370 



GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY 



that is carefully and slowly bathed with air containing the vapour 

 of ether cannot be made to contract by any kind of stimulus. Never- 

 theless, the vital processes in the muscle are not at a complete stand- 

 still, as is evident from the fact shown by Biedermann ('85) that the 

 narcotised muscle produces electricity when stimulated, just like the 

 contracting muscle in the normal state. The stimulated part, as well 

 as the artificial cross-section, appears by galvanometric investigation 

 electrically negative to the resting part, as in normal conditions. 

 In narcosis, therefore, certain metabolic processes must still remain 



Fio. 168. — Stentorcan'fei's. A, Wholly extended in rest ; B, in the condition of modemte con- 

 traction as in free swimming ; C, completely contracted. 



undisturbed ; and perhaps this is true not only of muscle but of 

 the narcotic conditions of all living substance. 



Recently, Massart ('93) has been able to abolish completely the 

 development of light in Noctiluca' by alcohol, by lajdng several 

 sheets of filter-paper wet with alcohol over the vessel containing 

 the sea- water in which the organisms were swimming quietly upon 

 the surface ; the vapours of the alcohol were thus forced into con- 

 tact with the Nodihicw. After a short time the latter could not 

 be induced by any stimulus to emit light. 



Finally, best known are the depressing effects of narcotics upon 

 the activity of the ganglion-cells of the central nervous system. 



