No.

SECOND SERIES.

14. Cat under chloroform. Abdomen opened, and intestines exposed for 5 or 6 minutes to the air. No movement. The interrupted current from DuBois Reymond's induction-coil was used in this and the succeeding experiments. Electrodes placed under left splanchnic. Secondary coil at 25, no effect; at 15, doubtful; at 10, rapid anæmia of stomach and small intestines and of a large mesenteric gland. No movement. Coil at 7: continued anæmia, which now extended to the kidneys; no movement; after removal of the irritation, the anæmia continued and even increased for a short time in the intestines, the kidneys recovering their normal vascularity more quickly.

After the intestines had regained their normal vascularity, the coil was put at 5, and the left splanchnic again irritated for 5 minutes. The effect was the same, but much less decided than before. After the current was stopped, the intestines became rapidly hyperemic. The irritation once more applied, with the coil at 0, anæmia only ensued after 30 seconds. No movement of the intestines. Ten minutes later the current was applied to the right splanchnic with the secondary coil at 25: no effect. Coil moved to 15: anæmia of stomach and intestines; slight movement, which had begun before the first irritation, now ceased. Current stopped: normal vascularity recovered; peristalsis began again, and became rather active; ecchymosis apparent under the tunic of the right kidney.

Intestines at rest: vascularity normal. Right splanchnic irritated with coil at 10: after two minutes, anæmia of stomach and some coils of intestine. Moved to 5, the large arteries became evidently smaller, though the vascularity of the viscera was still only partially affected. After two minutes more no movement.

The solar plexus, including the semilunar ganglia, was now excised, and the superior mesenteric artery isolated. The intestines were somewhat hyperæmic, the kidneys normal, peristalsis rather active. An upper and lower loop of 8 in. each ligatured as before. Coil at 15: electrodes applied to both splanchnics so as to irritate them at the same time: no anæmia; movement slightly increased. Coil at 10: no anæmia; movement considerably increased. Coil at 5 active peristalsis of stomach and intestines, doubtful decrease of vascularity.

:

The left splanchnic was next divided, and the clectrodes applied to its proximal end, with the coil at 25. The movements which were going on before continued active, while the coil was moved to 15, 10, and 5. Slight anæmia appeared with the coil at 15, and did not increase. After the current was stopped, the intestines continued their movements, and quickly recovered a normal or perhaps slightly excessive vascularity. Fresh irritation a few minutes later (of the proximal end of the left splanchnic) produced no change in vascularity or in movement of the intestine.

The cat died several hours later without having vomited. The greater part of the small intestine contained only a moderate quantity of fluid, but the lower loop was filled with serum and thick white mucus. No worms. On dissection the right semilunar ganglion and solar plexus adjacent were found to be imperfectly removed: otherwise the operation had succeeded.

15. Cat under chloroform. Abdomen opened and electrodes put on the left splanchnic, with coil at 25: no peristalsis, moderate injection. Current on at first apparent slight increase of vascularity, but when the coil was moved to 15, pallor, with contraction of the branches of the superior mesen

teric artery, became marked. No movement of stomach or intestines took place.

16.—Cat chloroformed and put into a bath of 75 per cent. salt solution at 90° to 100° F., with the trachea opened so as to allow of complete immersion. After electrodes had been put on both splanchnics, with the intestines at rest and moderately injected, the current was put on with a commutator, so as to pass through both nerves at once with the coil at 25, shifted after two minutes to 15, and then to 5 and to 0, but without visible effect.

17. Cat chloroformed and abdomen opened. Intestines pale. Pregnant uterus. No peristalsis. Both splanchnics divided. Proximal end of right irritated, with the coil at 25. After two minutes the uterus began moving: on breaking the circuit this ceased gradually. The same occurred on applying the electrodes in the same way to the left splanchnic, the intestines still remaining motionless and their injection not varying. The narcosis was kept only moderately deep, the tail constantly moving. At every third or fourth expiration there was a strong contraction of the abdominal walls with relaxed diaphragm (effort at vomiting).

Electrodes were then applied to (the proximal end of) both splanchnics, and the current passed through both at once. Coil at 25: no change: intestines drawn out from abdomen so as to bring the greater part into view; they were motionless and moderately vascular. Coil at 15, current on active peristalsis began, and soon spread to all the small intestines; the uterus also moved as before; vascularity of the viscera not altered. After three minutes the current was stopped, and the movements quickly ceased. Repeated with the coil at 5 and at 10 no effect was produced, but general movements of the voluntary muscles ensued from escape of the current.

The animal was then placed in a bath of 75 per cent. of salt solution at about 90° F., arranged so as to cover the abdomen but allow of respiration, and both splanchnics were irritated with the coil at 10: no effect.

Removed from bath: no movement. Left splanchnic (proximal end as before) irritated with coil at 15. After 30 seconds active peristalsis began in the colon, the uterus, and some folds of the small intestine. Moved to 10, peristalsis appeared in fresh folds, which ceased on stopping the current.

Electrodes on right splanchnic coil at 15: no movement. Current on: after a few seconds active peristalsis began in the stomach, spread to the intestines, and by the end of the first minute all the small intestines were in movement, as well as the uterus, the colon not participating. Moved up to 10, increased activity of motion, the colon continuing quiet, and the vascularity of the viscera not affected, except as the tight contraction of the gut produced transient pallor. On stopping the current, peristalsis ceased within two minutes.

The electrodes were then applied to the superior mesenteric plexus, which was isolated for the purpose. Coil at 15, current on: slight movement occurred, but not constantly; the vascularity of the small intestine was distinctly, though only moderately diminished. Applied to the renal plexus no change was visible, but after removal the kidney increased in vascularity. Applied lastly to the nerves going to the spleen, that viscus shrunk from 5 to 5 inches in length.

18. Cat under chloroform. Both splanchnics divided, and distal end of left placed on electrodes, the intestines being anæmic and at rest. Coil at 25, current on: after 90 seconds there was very slight and limited peri

* This precaution (in which we followed Sanders Ezn and Houckgeest) we found to be useless for the object in view, and do not recommend it to future investigators.

stalsis, but no other change. With the coil at 15 there was no movement, but the intestines were more vascular than before, which may, however, have been due to sponging with warm water to remove some blood.

Experiment repeated with the animal in the bath. There was then no change in vascularity, and no movement, except very slight peristalsis in a single coil. (This cat had suffered from hæmorrhage, owing to the liver being bruised in restoring it by artificial respiration. The fact was discovered after the animal was killed, and explained its feeble state during the experiments.) 19. Cat chloroformed. Both splanchnics divided. Electrodes placed on proximal end of left, and the animal immersed in the bath at 100° F. There was at first active peristalsis, and after this had ceased, stimulation, with the coil at 25, produced no effect on the vascularity or movement of the intestines. Repeated out of the water there was still no movement, but the intestines became less vascular while the current passed, and then somewhat hyperæmic.

Stimulation of the proximal end of the right splanchnic out of the bath produced active peristalsis. The vascularity varied irregularly, and probably independently, with moderate injection after the current was stopped.

On the left splanchnic being again irritated after an interval (with the coil still at 25), peristalsis, which had become very languid, was distinctly increased. The intestines became pale during the strong contraction of each coil, but otherwise their vascularity was unaffected.

Stimulation of the splenic plexus reduced the length of the spleen from 3} to 34 inches.

Report of the Committee, consisting of A. VERNON HARCOURT, Professor GLADSTONE, and Dr. ATKINSON, appointed for the purpose of collecting and suggesting subjects for Chemical Research.

BEFORE entering upon the task of forming a list of subjects, the members of the Committee took opportunities of discussing the question privately with other chemists, and found in many cases considerable doubts as to the advisability of such a proceeding. Instead, therefore, of at once inviting suggestions for research, the Committee considered it desirable to ascertain the opinion of English chemists generally as to the feasibility of the proposed scheme. The following Circular was accordingly sent to about fifty chemists, who were either those of the highest official standing, or who were known to be engaged in research :

"BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

"April 24, 1876.

"DEAR SIR,-At the last Meeting of the British Association a Committee was appointed, consisting of Mr. Vernon Harcourt, Dr. Gladstone, and Dr. E. Atkinson, with power to add to their number, to collect and suggest subjects for chemical research.

"When the matter was discussed by the Committee of the Chemical Section, at whose instance the above-named Committee was appointed, it was thought that a step might be taken towards the organization of chemical inquiry by the for

mation and publication of a list of subjects to be suggested by the leading chemists of our own country, and, if possible, of other countries also, from which younger chemists wishing to undertake a research might select a subject with the assurance that it was considered new and important.

"It was thought also that such a list, however meagre and inadequate it might be at the outset, would tend to increase as soon as the plan became more widely known, and might ultimately, if chemists of other countries were willing to take part, become an important feature in a general organization of chemical research.

"A chemist undertaking the investigation of any one of the suggested subjects would send word to the editors of the list, and might be placed in communication with the chemist by whom the subject was suggested. Each issue of the list, which might be republished at frequent intervals in some of the chemical journals, would state which subjects had been already undertaken and by whom, and thus the waste of labour which sometimes occurs through simultaneous work on the same subject would be prevented.

"It has, however, been objected that chemists are not likely to be so prodigal of their ideas as such a scheme supposes, and may prefer keeping the subjects of research which have suggested themselves to their minds for their own or their pupils' investigation. The answer to this would seem to depend upon the answer to the general question, whether the supply of ideas or suggestions for research existing in the minds of the leading chemists at the present day does or does not largely exceed the number of skilled hands at their disposal.

"Before, therefore, proceeding to invite you and others to suggest subjects to be placed upon the proposed list, the Committee are desirous of learning whether in your judgment the scheme is likely to succeed, and whether, if the attempt to form such a list is made, you would be willing to contribute to it; they would also be glad of any opinions in reference to the matter with which you may favour them.

"P.S. Please address your answer, Dr. Atkinson, York Town, Surrey."

To this Circular only eight written replies were received, of which four may be classed as favourable, namely, those from Mr. Abel, President of the Chemical Society, Prof. Mills, Mr. Bolas, and Mr. R. Warington; three as adverse to the scheme, viz. from Dr. Joule, Mr. Hartley, and Mr. Groves, the latter embodying the views of Dr. Stenhouse; and one as doubtful from Mr. Buckton.

Among the objections raised to the proposed scheme perhaps the following have been the most general:

That suggestions for subjects of research, would only be needed by, or be useful to, students and beginners, and that such men would generally be under the guidance of Professors, who would provide them with subjects; that the suggestion of a subject is generally its least part; that what students really want is guidance and instruction in the art of investigation; that any one who had originality and power to make a satisfactory research would also be able to find subjects for himself; that facilities and material appliances for research, together with the means of living for those thus engaged, were more pressing wants; that any one contributing suggestions for research would reserve for his own use the best of them, that is to say, those most likely to give important and satisfactory results.

Of the letters received, the Committee may perhaps give the following from Mr. Buckton and from Dr. Joule :