6 oo Dr. Davy's Account of some Experiments 
The right ventricle - - - -106 
The central substance of the brain - - 104 
Rectum ----- 104.5. 
Surprised at the temperature of the brain being lower than 
that of the rectum, I was led to repeat the experiment. It may 
be proper to notice a few of the results, as it is a curious cir- 
cumstance which they confirm. The four experiments I shall 
mention were made on lambs. As soon as the animal was 
dead, the cranium was perforated and a delicate thermometer 
introduced into the central part of the brain, 
1. Brain 104 Rectum 104.75 
2. Brain 104,75 Rectum 105.5 
3. Brain 105.5 Rectum 106.5 
4. Posterior part of the brain 105.5; anterior 103. 
Rectum 106.5. 
The temperature of the air at the time was 68. Different 
parts of the brain were found to vary considerably in temper- 
ature ; the anterior, as already noticed, being lower than the 
posterior, and the superficial than the deep seated parts. 
3. Remarks and Conclusions. 
That there is no material difference between venous and 
arterial blood in respect to specific caloric, excepting what 
arises from difference of specific gravity ; that the tempera- 
ture of arterial blood is higher than that of venous ; and the 
temperature of the left side of the heart, than that of the right; 
and lastly, that the temperature of parts diminishes as the dis- 
tance of the parts from the heart increases — are the general 
results of the preceding experiments. 
Admitting the accuracy of these experiments, and I think 
