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XVII. An Experimental Inquiry undertaken with the view of ascertaining whether any, 
and what signs of current Electricity are manifested during the organic process of 
Secretion in living animals, being an attempt to apply some of the discoveries of 
Faraday to Physiology*. By FI. F. Baxter, Esq. 
Communicated by Sir Benjamin Brodie, Bart., F.R.S. 
Received May 6 , — Read May 25, 1848. 
XhE conjecture and experiment of Wollaston the cautious opinion of Prout:J;, 
the experiments of Donne § and of Matteucci||, are so well known that a mere 
allusion to them may be deemed sufficient. Becquerel^, in speaking of Matteucci’s 
experiment, adds, “Si de nouvelles experiences confirment les resultats, il faudrait 
en conclure reellement que les organes qui secretent un liquide acide ou alcalin, ont 
des facultes electriques analogues a celles de la pile.” 
PouiLLET** inserted one of the platinum extremities of a galvanometer into the 
jugular vein of a rabbit, the other into the carotid artery, without any effect being 
produced on the needle. Muller'|''|~ says, “ With the galvanometer no electric 
current can be discovered in the blood. I perceived no variation of the magnetic 
needle of the multiplier, even when I inserted one wire into an artery of a living 
animal, the other into a vein.” 
The galvanometer:|;:{: that was used in these experiments is one of the common and 
ordinary construction, astatic, consisting of but few coils ; the needles suspended by 
silk-worm silk, and the electrodes attached by screws. As the object was to ascer- 
* It would be unjust to Becquerel not to state, that great and important assistance was obtained during the 
progress of the inquiry from his valuable work, entitled “ Traite de I’Electricitd,” respecting one class of phe- 
nomena especially, viz. the action of an acid and an alkali upon each other when separated by a membrane or 
any other porous diaphragm. But, at the very commencement of the inquiry, it soon became apparent that 
no real progress could be reasonably expected until clearer ideas had been obtained as to the origin of the 
power in the voltaic circle. This led to the study of those admirable memoirs of Faraday. The inquiry and 
the study of those memoirs went hand-in-hand. The opinions supposed were those from Faraday ; the expe- 
riments, tests of those opinions. The endeavour to master the meaning of that important, comprehensive, and 
expressive phrase, “ an axis of power having contrary forces, exactly equal in amount, in contrary directions,” 
was the mental difficulty ; in that consists the requisite mental labour. It is not too much to add, that without 
those memoirs the inquiry would not have been continued. 
t Philosophical Magazine, vol. xxxili. p. 488. 1 On Stomach and Urinary Diseases, 3rd edit. p. xxv. 
§ Becquerel, Traite de I’Electricite, tom. i. p. 327. || Ibid. tom. iv. p. 300. ^ Ibid. p. 301. 
** Journal de Physiologie, tom. v. p. 5. f j- Muller’s Physiology, translated by Baly, vol. i. p. 148, 2nd edit. 
XI Made by Newman of Regent Street. There is one advantage attending the use of a galvanometer that 
is not very delicate in its construction in these experiments ; the vibrations of the needle soon subside, and 
consequently more information can be obtained from a single experiment. 
2 K 
MDCCCXLVIII. 
