L ^"^3 J 
I poured on this membrane dulcified fpirit of nitre, 
and diluted fpirit of vitriol, and powdered common 
fait, but without perceiving any agitations whatfo- 
ever, brought on by thefe fubftances adting upon 
thefe living parts j though in fome creatures I am 
dubious, whether fea-falt and nitre in powder did not 
create fome fenfe, though no manifefl contradions 
of the dura mater. 
But every mufcular part, which I cut while the 
animals were alive, difcovered little fenfibility of pain, 
though great propenfity to irregular fpafms of the 
fibres : and the mufcles upon the thorax, and efpe- 
dally the carneae column£e of the heart, retained irri- 
tability lafl of all other mufcular parts, even till long 
after the animal’s expiration. 
I laid the pungent liquors and falts, as above, up- 
on various parts of the animal, yet alive j as upon 
the fat, cellular membrane of the neck, leg, and 
other parts within the fkin, the liver, pancreas and 
fpleen, and could not fijid them endowed either 
with remarkable fenfibility or irritability j nor had 
the bladder any remarkable fymptoms of irritability, 
farther than might be cx:cafioned by its mufcular 
fibres ; though the well-known fymptoms of the cal- 
culus Ihew its great fenfibility. 
I tried the efFeds of a ftrong aqueous folution of 
opium upon the irritated parts of mufcular fibres, 
but could not perceive an opiate manifcflly to com- 
pofe thefe fpaftic motions of the parts, as Haller 
alleges they do : though in fome trials I fanfied 
there were grounds for luch a condufion. However 
this is no argument againfi; the internal ufe of opiates, 
where the folids are greatly irritated. 
I i 2 
J mufl 
