t 35 ] 
wife neceflitated to move the coating 
lower, or elfe the circle of electricity was 
not fufficient, or did not take place. This 
experiment took me up five hours. At 
other times, the vitality was deftroyed in 
four hours, and fometimes again in a ftill 
fli or ter time. 
It is very evident from thefe faCts, that 
the nerves poffefs at every part a vital 
principle, which perifhes in proportion to 
the repetition and intenfity of the fhocks, 
which may be confidered as fo many elec¬ 
trical difcharges. 
This principle alfo gradually perifhes 
of itfelf, and it is always from the higheft 
part that it firft begins to difappear. One 
might fufpeCt, that the nerve dries during 
the experiment, and that to this caufe its 
inertnefs, or want of power to conduCt 
the eleCtricity might be owing. This, 
however, is not the cafe. It cannot be 
denied, that a nerve, which has long 
D 2 been 
