of animal Secretions , 3 89 
an hour, a third ligature was then tied in the centre of the 
detached vein, in order to cut off the connection between the 
positive and negative ends. On removing the portion of the 
vein included by the ligatures, and containing the conductors, 
it was found that the gaseous products had forced out nearly 
the whole of the blood, at the part through which the wires 
were inserted ; alkaline and acid matter were readily detected, 
but no new product could be discovered. 
Finding the coagulation of the blood an insurmountable ob- 
stacle to the long continued electrical action, the serum only 
was employed in the following experiments. 
Experiment 3. 10th of March, 1809. 
The conductors from one hundred and twenty four inch 
double plates, highly charged, were brought within two inches 
of each other, in some recent serum of blood, obtained free 
from the colouring matter, by carefully pouring it off from 
the coagulum. Coagulated albumen was rapidly separated at 
the negative pole, and alkaline matter evolved : at the positive 
pole, a small quantity of albumen was gradually deposited, 
and litmus paper indicated the presence of acid. These are 
the effects produced by a high electrical power upon serum. 
Experiment 4. 14th of April, 1809. 
Was undertaken to ascertain the effect of a low power ; a 
battery was employed, consisting of twelve four inch double 
plates of copper and iron. In this case, there was at first no 
appearance of coagulation at either pole; in five minutes, the 
positive wire became covered with a film of albumen, and in 
fifteen minutes a filament of about a quarter of an inch in 
MDCCC.IX. 3 E 
