long time, which does not confift with the quicknefs 
of this Gontraftion. It feems then highly probable 
that this Fluid (hould be f applied by the Nerves, and 
as the Heart agrees in its ftrufture with the other Muf- 
cles, it fhould be moved in the fame manner as they 
are by an Influx of Animal Spirits frcftn the Brain. 
But if we will not acquiefe here without a further exa- 
men, we fliall find this opinion repugnant to the truth, 
by an experiment which is not a little furprizing. For 
if the Recurrent Nerves, which fend fome Branches 
to die Heart, be cut in the loweft part of the f^Ieck, 
and the intercoftal together, with the eighth pair in- 
cluded in the fame {heath, be likewife cut, and you 
thruft your Finger carefully under the Pleuruy and draw 
hsick the Ganglia of the Intercoftal Nerve at the Root 
of the fir ft Ribs, and fo diyidp it, the motion of the 
Heart is fo far from being interrupted, that it will con- 
tinue fifty, and in ftfonger Animals threefcore h 
A Dog that has not been fed in eleven days , and al- 
moft dead with hunger, has continued to live, and his 
Heart to beat twenty hours. The Hearts of Eels, Ser- 
pents and Frogs, retain their rnotioja for a miuch longer 
time, and when it hasceafed fpr a time^ by powring 
warm water m tliem, it is renewed/. Hence it is plain 
the motion of the Heart muft be derived from other 
caules , than the Influx of Spirits from the Brain, If 
it be alledged, there/ are fome remains of Spirit after 
the commiinication is hindred, and the Contraftion of 
the Heart proceed from thefe, why does not the like 
happen in any other Mufcles, many of which are more 
Gompaft and more fitted to retain a fpirituous matter 
than the Heart is. Further the^ Author labours to prove 
that fuch remains are an incompetent force to produce 
fuch an eftedt. 
If 
