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Mr . Home’s Lecture 
I understood, that he tried the effect of large doses of opium, 
which did not afford relief. He was then induced to employ 
electricity, which was also unsuccessful ; and he died in a fit, 
which at the time was believed to be apoplexy, about five 
months after the operation had been performed ; but, as the body 
was not examined, the nature of the fit could not be ascertained. 
In this case, some of the branches of the median nerve had 
acquired, from disease, an unnatural power of contraction, which 
was made evident by the operation ; and there is every reason 
to believe,' that the spasmodic attacks which took place, were 
in reality convulsive motions in the nerves themselves, which 
excited corresponding contractions in those muscles that were 
under their influence. 
This case naturally occupied my mind ; and I could not avoid 
dwelling upon many of the extraordinary symptoms which made 
a part of it ; but nothing so impressed itself upon me, as the re- 
traction that took place in the cut ends of the nerve, at the time 
of the operation. 
The first idea which suggested itself was, to endeavour to 
ascertain whether this retraction arose from an increase of a 
natural action in the nerve, or from one newly acquired, pro- 
duced by disease. 
With a view to ascertain this point, different experiments 
were instituted. The object of these was, to determine whe- 
ther a similar contraction took place in nerves, when divided 
in a healthy state of the body ; the extent of such contraction, 
if any occurred ; and the circumstances by which it may be 
influenced. 
For the first of these purposes, the following experiments 
were made. 
