relation between the nervous and sanguiferous systems. 427 
through an equal portion of the brain. When an instrument 
was merely pressed gently on the surface of the brain, the 
effect was similar. When a pair of scissars, or any other 
thing of larger bulk than the wire was passed into the brain, 
the effect on the heart was greater than from the wire. It 
was still greater when the brain was wounded rapidly in 
many directions. 
Exp. 3. Part of the cranium of a rabbit was removed, and 
after passing a knife through the brain in various directions 
towards the origin of the nerves, which excited the strongest 
spasms in the njuscles of voluntary motion, the blood being 
absorbed by a sponge, I applied strong spirit of wine to the 
surface of the brain, and dropt it into the cuts, without at all 
affecting the muscles of voluntary motion. The upper part 
of the brain was then wholly removed, and the space filled 
with strong spirit of wine, but no spasms were excited in the 
muscles of voluntary motion. 
Another rabbit was deprived of sensibility and voluntary 
motion by a blow on the occiput. Part of the cranium was 
then removed, the thorax laid open, and the heart found 
beating regularly. Spirit of wine was now applied to the 
surface of the brain, by which the frequency and force of the 
heart's beats were immediately increased. Several cuts were 
then made in the brain, and the spirit of wine dropt into 
them, by which the action of the heart was increased in a 
much greater degree. Spirit of wine increased the action of 
the heart more than any mechanical injury, which never pro- 
duced the strong action in this organ, that it does in the 
muscles of voluntary motion. 
This experiment was repeated with a watery infusion of 
8 1 3 
