Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.

electrodes were applied directly to the muscles, both frogs suf- fered commotions, and it even appeared that the poisoned frog preserved the property of suffering contraction from the stimu- lus/or a longer time than the one which had not been poisoned. This is claimed by some as very conclusive evidence of the actual existence of an irritability proper of muscles. But M. Eckhard objected to this conclusion, as it was not quite certain that the last ramification of the nerves were thus totally paralyzed. Dr. Althaus says the following experiment satisfies his mind that the motor nerves, and those only, are first killed by this poison: He securely ties the crural artery and veins up on one side of the animal, so that the circulation of the blood in that limb is stopped. The animal is then poisoned by inserting a small quantity of woorara under the skin on the body. If, then, the motor nerves of the animal be tested by galvanism a short time afterwards, it becomes evident that all the nerves have lost their integrity, with the exception only of the crural nerve of that side where the vessels have been tied. This nerve, however, when galvanized, still sets the muscles in play. But if the electric stimulus be directed to the muscular substance it- self, contractions may be obtained in all the muscles of that limb; and the contractile power of those muscles the nerves of which have been poisoned will last even longer than those which have not been so poisoned, in consequence of the stoppage of the blood circulation. He mentions in this connection, also, some microscopic observations of Dr. Wundt, which also go to show the irritability proper of the muscles. He saw that when the circuit of a galvanic battery was closed, embracing the muscular tissue that was in the field of the microscope, the fibres were shortened, and that, after the contraction produced by the com- mencement of the current had passed off, the fibres were still shortened ; i. e., they did not immediately regain their previous length while the current was running, but remained somewhat shorter for several minutes. If the circuit was then opened again, there was a difference, in proportion as a contraction was produced or not. When there was no contraction at the cessa- tion of the current, the muscular fibres immediately regained