414 Mr. J. St. -Clair Gray on the Origin of Nerve -force. 



constituent elements of the body, it occurred to me that sulphur 

 and phosphorus might be those to which I should look. Acting, 

 then, from the fact that in the brain there was a very considerable 

 proportion of phosphorus, that in the liver there was present a 

 large proportion of sulphur, while between the two there was in 

 constant circulation an alkaline fluid, the blood acting on these 

 facts, and having in my mind the idea that nerve-power and an 

 electrical current, if not identical, were closely related to each 

 other, I constructed the cell already mentioned, with the above 

 result. Having, then, by this experiment determined that an 

 electric current was produced in the cell containing the sulphur 

 and phosphorus in alkaline solution, I turned my attention to 

 the actual conditions (the conditions found to exist in the living 

 animal), and by the following experiment proved the existence 

 between the brain and liver of an electric current. 



In the first place, the hind leg of a frog was prepared as a gal- 

 vanoscope, according to the directions first given by Galvani, and 

 which were followed out so carefully and successfully by Aldini 

 and Matteucci; then to a rabbit 21 oz. in weight chloroform was 

 administered till complete anaesthesia was produced. An inci- 

 sion was then made through the abdominal walls in the right 

 hypochondriac region, and through this aperture a properly in- 

 sulated copper wire was passed into the substance of the liver ; 

 the eyeball was then pierced, and a similar piece of copper wire 

 brought into contact with the brain by forcing it through the 

 optic foramen. The free extremities of the copper wires were 

 then brought into contact with the exposed sciatic nerve of the 

 frog's limb, when powerful convulsions were induced in the 

 muscles receiving their nervous supply therefrom. 



Having, then, by this experiment proved that between the 

 brain and the liver there exists an electric current, it is, I think, 

 quite feasible to assume that at least a portion, if not the whole, 

 of this current is due to the action of the alkaline medium on 

 the sulphur and phosphorus contained respectively in the liver 

 and brain, which current we have already found to be produced 

 in the sulphur-and-phosphorus cell. That in the animal economy 

 other sources of electricity do exist I should be the last to deny; 

 but that this, as a source of nervo-motor power, is perhaps second 

 to none receives confirmation, I think, from a consideration of 

 the amount of phosphoric acid excreted by the kidneys as phos- 

 phate of soda, potash, lime, and ammonia, amounting on an 

 average to rather more than 72 grains per diem, and of sulphuric 

 acid, as sulphate of soda and potash, amounting to nearly 100 

 grains, the oxidation-products of sulphur and phosphorus being 

 in the main derived from the two organs in which they in the 

 greatest proportion abound. 



