(25) 
NOTE ON THE lONISATION PRODUCED BY DEGENEEATINa 
NEEVE-MUSCLE PREPAEATIONS. 
By J. Steph. van dee Lingen. 
(Eead May 17, 1916.) 
When organic matter degenerates certain chemical changes take place,, 
and thus molecular and atomic disintegration may occur. 
In order to discover whether ionisation is produced during this process 
the following experiment was carried out. 
A nerve-muscle preparation was placed on a glass slide immediately 
above a disc which was connected to the leaves of an electroscope (see Fig.). 
The carrier was suspended in a bell jar by a glass tube which passed 
through the cork. 
Another glass tube terminated immediately over the preparation, so that 
a current of air could be pumped over the preparation. 
In order to stimulate the muscle two electrodes were attached to the 
carrier, the connecting wires passing through the glass tube. 
To prevent the air-current from escaping through this tube the outside 
end was closed by clamping a piece of rubber tubing attached to it. 
Observations. 
(1) The rate of discharge of the electroscope before the preparation was 
placed on the carrier was recorded. 
(2) The rate of discharge when the preparation was placed on the carrier 
was recorded. 
(3) The rate of discharge during, and immediately after, stimulation was- 
recorded. 
In observations (1), (2), and (3) no appreciable difference was found. 
The preparation was then left in situ for six hours, and the observations, 
repeated. 
In (3) the muscle showed no response to stimulation. 
In (2) the discharge was in excess of (1). 
After passing a strong current of air over the muscle there was nO' 
appreciable discharge for five minutes, after which a gradual discharge set in. 
