[ i8o ] 
If the tendon be cut in this way, the mufcle 
ftioitens itfelf, and in this contradion is 
capable of railing a weight hung to it more 
or lefs heavy in proportion to the quality 
of the mufcle it belongs to. 
As this power, which may be called the 
tonic force of the mufcles maintains itfelf a 
long time after death, Baron Haller has 
thought proper to term it dead force. 
Poifons are capable of exciting it, but 
pundures, the application of air or fluids, 
or any other Aimulus, provided it be not 
violent, is incapable of calling out its 
adion. 
This kind of contradion takes place 
by a flow and continued reciprocal ap¬ 
proximation of the fibres. 
Of Irritability. 
The adion which refillts from irritabi¬ 
lity, is very different from that we have 
jufi taken notice of. 
The 
