J892.] 



Presents. 



85 



chloral, the curves of temperature show that when the muscles of a 

 limb are made to contract, the temperature of the muscles rises, but 

 falls rapidly as soon as the stimulation ceases, soon returning to the 

 normal. This is not the case, however, with the brain excited by an 

 electric current. Here the stimulus gives rise to a more lasting pro- 

 duction of heat ; the temperature may continue to increase for 

 several minutes after the cessation of the stimulation, indeed often 

 for half an hour. This may possibly explain why, upon an electric 

 stimulation of the cerebral cortex, the epileptiform convulsions are 

 not immediately developed, but only appear after the lapse of a latent 

 period of several minutes. 



This experiment may be made to show the elective action exercised 

 upon the brain by stimulant remedies. The injection of 10 centigrams 

 of cocaine hydrochlorate produces a rise of temperature in the brain 

 of 0*36° C, without any change in the temperature of the muscles or 

 of the rectum being observed. In a curarised dog, the intervention 

 of the muscles being thereby excluded, the action of the cocaine may 

 produce a rise of as much as 4° C. in the temperature of the brain, 

 the author having observed a rise from 37° to 41° C. This shows 

 that in arranging the calorific topography of the organism a high 

 place must be assigned to the brain. 



The author concludes by expressing the hope that the comparative 

 study, by the direct thermometric method, of the temperature of the 

 various organs of the body will enable us to push forward our 

 knowledge of the phenomena of life. 



Presents, March 24, 1892. 



Transactions. 



Belgrade : — Royal Servian Academy. Spomenik. Nos. 10, 12, 13. 

 4to. Beograd 1891-92 ; Glas. No. 30. 8vo. Beograd 1891 ; 

 Jo van Bak : Jedan Biographski Zapis. 8vo. Beograd 1891. 



The Academy. 



Berlin :— Gesellschaft fur Erdkunde. Zeitschrift. Bd. XXVI. 



No. 6. 8vo. Berlin 1891. The Society. 



Bucharest : — Societate de Sciinte Fizice. Buletin. An I. No. 2. 



8vo. Bucuresci 1892. The Society. 



Buenos Ayres: — Museo Nacional. Anales. Entrega 18. 4to. 



Buenos Aires 1891. The Museum. 



Lausanne : — Societe Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles. Bulletin. 



Vol. XXVII. No. 105. 8vo. Lausanne 1892. 



The Society. 



Leipsic : — Konigl. Sachs. Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften. Be- 

 richte (Math.-Phys. Classe). 1891. Heft 4. 8vo. Leipzig 



