311 



movement of a point under the influence of an accelerating 

 force, and showed how without resort to infinitessimal 

 quantities we might obtain the equations of condition. 



At the close of Mr. Paterson's paper, the chairman, Dr. 

 Townsend, stated that it had been his intention to exhibit 

 to the Institute, this evening, an experiment to show the 

 function of the human liver. This gland, the largest in the 

 body, has, until recently, been a puzzle to physiologists. 

 Its office seemed too trivial for so important a position in 

 the body. Recent investigations have thrown new light 

 upon the subject, and shown that one of its offices is to trans- 

 mute food into sugar for the use of the body. The experi- 

 ment that he had designed to exhibit had, for its object, this 

 demonstration of the glycogenic function of the liver. With 

 the permission of the society, he would bring this before 

 them at the next meeting. 



Without further business, the Institute then adjourned. 



April 14, 1863. 



In the absence of the president, Dr. McNaughton pre- 

 sided. 



The following donations were announced : 

 28th Annual Report of the Y. M. Library Association of 

 Cincinnati, 1862. 



Annual Report of Surgeon-General of New York, 1863. 

 9th Annual Report of Sup't of Pub. Instruction, 1863. 



Dr. Townsend read the paper of the evening upon the 

 Glycogenic Functions of the Liver. 



To Bernard, a pupil of Magendie, Dr. T. said, we are 

 indebted for the new light thrown upon the functions of 

 this largest gland in the human body. 



Till his time it seemed strange that the uses of so impor- 

 tant a part of the body should have remained unknown. It 

 was generally supposed that it had something to do in se- 

 creting bile, and something to do in digestion. But 

 Bernard has showed that the true use is to secrete sugar 



