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II. Some positions respecting the influence of the Voltaic Battery 
in obviating the effects of the division of the eighth pair of 
nerves. Drawn up by A. P. Wilson Philip, M. D. F. R. S. 
Edin. Communicated by B. C. Brodie, Esq. F. R. S. 
Read July 5, 1821. 
Db . Philip finding that Mr. Brodie did not think what had 
been done sufficient to establish certain positions which Dr. 
Philip had stated, he, for Mr. Brodie’s satisfaction, and with 
his assistance, entered on an investigation, with respect to the 
results of which, Mr. Brodie agrees with him. They were 
the following. 
In some experiments in which the nerves of the eighth 
pair were divided in the neck of a rabbit, and the ends not dis- 
placed, and the animal was allowed to live some hours, it was 
found that food swallowed immediately before the division of 
the nerves, was considerably digested, even when the divided 
ends of the nerves had retracted to the distance of a quarter 
of an inch from each other. 
In other experiments in which, after the division of the 
nerves, the divided ends had been turned completely away 
from each other, little or no perfectly digested food, when 
the animal was allowed to live some hours, was found in the 
stomach ; and the longer the animal lived, the smaller was 
the proportion of digested food found in the stomach ; the 
great mass having the appearance of masticated food, which 
was not sensibly lessened in quantity, however long the 
