282 MR. H. F. BAXTER’S EXPERIMENTAL INQUIRY AS TO THE EXISTENCE 
for the catalytic action, or if not in an alkaline state, still in such a state as to combine 
readily with the oxygen of the atmosphere. Now, this latter state we are necessarily 
driven to entertain, when supposing, which no physiologist will deny, that the blood, 
during secretion, undergoes a change similar to that of decomposition* . 
We shall now speak of. 
Thirdly. Thermo-electric actions. Becquerel^ and Breschet, as is well known, 
have shown that different parts of a living animal are of different temperatures; but 
it must be borne in mind that their experiments were intended to elucidate thermo- 
electric actions, and might not, therefore, be considered as comparable with the 
present. Although it would be considered rather a stretch of the imagination to 
suppose that the erfects can be referred to thermo-electric actions, since no effect 
was obtained when the electrodes were inserted into the vena porta and hepatic veins, 
as in former experiments, or even in the experiments of Muller, between the corre- 
sponding arteries and veins, still, it is for physiologists to show that the effects can- 
not be referred entirely to these actions. The following experiments may, therefore, 
be considered as worthy of being recorded. 
A porcelain jar, 2 inches and a half in diameter and the same in depth, capable of 
holding about five ounces and a half of fluid, was used as the external cell ; a portion 
of the small intestines of a rabbit, capable of holding half an ounce of fluid, was sus- 
pended by threads and formed the internal cell ; the ends of the electrodes, to the ex- 
tent of half an inch, were bent at a right angle and placed in each cell, the other 
extremities being connected with the galvanometer and mercurial cups as in the ex- 
periments on animals. Thus arranged, water at different temperatures was poured 
into each cell. 
Experiment 1. Temperature of atmosphere /I 
Temperature of wat6r in external cell .... 68 
Temperature of water in internal cell . . . . 120 
Slight vibrations of the needle. Every endeavour to obtain a greater effect failed. 
The temperature of the fluid in each cell was then ascertained by means of a delicate 
thermometer. 
o 
Temperature of internal cell 105 
Temperature of external cell 80 
Experiment 2. Temperature of external cell 160 
Temperature of internal cell 68 
Vibrations as before ; and it was then found that the 
Temperature of external cell was 125 
Temperature of internal cell ........ 98 
* It is not necessary for us to point out in what manner, whether by parent-cells or secreting-cells. 
t Traite de I’Electricite, tom. vii. p. 20. 
