Mr H. F. Baxter on Muscular Power. 203 
that during the time the muscle contracted there was a 
tendency on its part to become further elongated. When a 
lighter weight was substituted the tendency was to contract, 
and the degree of contraction of the muscle when excited was 
not increased in proportion. I may just observe, that the 
motion of the index is not always as if by a sudden action, 
but by a gradual advance, being carried along, as it were, 
by some progressive movement. 
There is another circumstance to be noticed, the weights 
raised do not indicate a fractional part less than the half 
ounce. I will not go so far as to say that a less weight 
than this might not be measured, but I have found that by 
adding the half ounce the effects were very doubtful. The 
best plan to elucidate the result was not by adding or sub- 
tracting the half ounce from the previous weight, but to go 
through a series of weights increasing or diminishing by 
the ounce; for instance, begin with 3, then 4, and then 5; 
in the next series begin with 34, then 43, and then 54. 
By this means the effect of the half ounce could be more 
readily seen than by adding it to the ounce. The addition 
of a drachm was not perceptible. 
The utmost care was taken to obtain the exact weight 
of the gastrocnemius muscle immediately after each experi- 
ment. 
The frogs were fresh caught, and if not used on the same 
day, were kept in a dark, cool cellar during the night, and 
used on the following day. 
In Table I. will be found the results of 60 experiments, 
arranged according to the date when they were performed. 
The sum total shows that 4 drs. 22 ers. weight of muscle 
were capable of raising a weight equivalent to 332 oz. ; 
in other words, 1 gr. of muscle could raise, in round num- 
bers, 608 grs. through the space of 1°, which was equivalent 
to sd of an inch; the extremes were 1048 (Expt. 51) and 
520 (Expt. 24). The weight of the frogs before the ex- 
periments was 34 oz. 4 drs. 18 grs.; after the experiments 
30 OZ. 3 drs. 26 grs., indicating a loss of 1 oz. 52 grs. Out of 
the 60 frogs 26 were females ; and in order to ascertain the 
sex no external character was trusted to, but the body was 
examined after the experiment. 
