NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Medical Officers of the Army of India.
109
TABLE I.— General Table of Results of section of Distal Pinnules of
Mimosa pudica—continued.
No. of
Experi -
ment.
Resul t.
76 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine.—Complete action throughout the leaf save in the
tip of one pinna ; depression of the petiole somewhat obstructed mechanically;
no further result.
77 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine.—Complete action throughout the leaf save in one
pinna ; no further result.
78 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine.—Complete action throughout the entire leaf ; no
further result.
79
Ditto ditto
ditto.
80 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine.— Complete action in the cut leaf ; no further result .
81
Ditto ditto
ditto.
82
Ditto ditto
ditto.
83
Ditto ditto
ditto.
84
Ditto ditto
ditto.
85
Ditto ditto
ditto.
86 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine .—Pause; action in three or four pairs of pinnules;
action in the primary pulvinus ; almost complete action throughout the rest of
the leaf ; no further result.
87 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine .—Centripetal action throughout the cut pinna ;
commencing centrifugal action in the other distal pinna; action in the primary
pulvinus ; complete action throughout the rest of the leaf ; no further
result.
88 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine .—Very irregular and partial action in that pinna ;
partial action in the other distal pinna and in the proximal pinna of the cut
side of the leaf ; no further result; primary pulvinus partially rigid.
89 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine.—Complete action in the cut pinna ; pause ; com-
plete action in the primary pulvinus, and extreme depression ; complete action
in the other pinnæ; no further result.
9 0 Leaf exposed to direct sunshine.—Complete action in the cut pinna; commencing
action in the other distal pinna ; action in the primary pulvinus ; complete
action in the rest of the leaf ; no further result.
10
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TABLE I.— General Table of Results of section of Distal Pinnules of
Mimosa pudica—concluded.
No. of
Experi- ment .
Resul t.
91 Leaf in shade and plant drenched with dew .—Pause ; centripetal action in six
pairs of pinnules ; pause ; action in the fifth pair of pinnules beneath those
which had previously acted ; pause ; action in the fifth pair below those which
had last acted ; no further action in the cut pinna or elsewhere ; primary pul-
vinus readily responsive to direct impulse.
92 Conditions as in No. 91—Pause ; action in seven successive pairs of pinnules ;
partial action in the pinnules at the base of the pinna ; spread of centripetal
action along the distal part, but action not extending to the area of basal
action ; action of the primary pulvinus, and extreme depression ; action in one
or two pinnules on one side of the base of the other distal pinna ; no further
result.
93 Conditions as in No. 91. — V e r y s l o w a n d v e r y i n c o m p l e t e a c t i o n i n t h e c u t p i n n a ;
action in the primary pulvinus, and extreme depression ; no further result.
94 Conditions as in No. 91. — V e r y s l o w a c t i o n i n t h e t i p o f t h e c u t p i n n a ; v e r y s l o w
action in the basal portion ; slow, centripetal action in the central portion ;
action in the primary pulvinusnd extreme depression ; no further result.
95 Conditions as in No. 91. — R e s u l t s a s i n N o . 9 4 s a v e t h a t s e v e r a l o f t h e c e n t r a l
pinnules of the cut pinna failed to act.
96 Conditions as in No. 91. — A c t i o n i n t h e c u t p i n n u l e s ; p a u s e ; s l i g h t a c t i o n i n o n e
or two pinnules at scattered intervals along the course of the cut pinna; no
further result ; primary pulvinus responding readily to direct impulse.
97 Conditions as in No. 91. — A c t i o n i n t h e c u t p i n n u l e s ; a c t i o n i n t h e p r i m a r y p u l -
vinus ; incomplete centripetal action in the cut pinna; no further result.
98 Conditions as in No. 91. — F a i r l y c o m p l e t e a c t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e c u t p i n n a s a v e
in three pinnules at the base ; no further result ; primary pulvinus readily
responsive to direct impulse.
99 Conditions as in No. 91. — R e s u l t s a s i n N o . 9 7 .
1 0 0 Conditions as in No. 91. — I n c o m p l e t e a c t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e c u t p i n n a ; n o f u r t h e r
result ; primary pulvinus readily responsive to direct impulse.
A A total of one hundred experiments, in only six of which there was any exten
-sion of movement beyond the injured leaf.
Medical Officers of the Army of
111.
TABLE II.—Showing Results of section of Distal Pinnules on Mornings
after a fall of Rain.
No. of
Experi -
ment.
R e s u l t .
T These experi ments were carri ed out on two successi ve morni ngs, those of the 20th
and 28th March, a fall of rain having occurred on each of the previous even-
ings. The brake of the plant was not exposed to direct sunshine at the time
of experiment, and the leaves were clean washed but nearly dry, there having
been hardly any dew during the preceding nights. All the leaves were young
ones.
1
Action in the cut pinnules; pause; action in the primary pulvinus; spreading action
in the cut pinna; action in the base of the other distal pinna ; long pause ;
partial and slow action throughout two other pinnæ, and slight action in the
base of the third one ; no further result ; very rapid recovery.
2 Spreading action in the cut pinna ; action in the primary pulvinus, and extreme
depression ; slow and, partial action in the bases of two of the other pinnæ ;
no further result ; very rapid recovery.
3 Very slow, spreading action in that pinna save in the basal pair of pinnules ; no
further result.
4 Very slow, partial action in the pinnules of the cut pinna save three basal ones ;
no further result.
5 Action in cut pinnules ; pause ; action in primary pulvinus ; slow, almost com-
plete, centripetal action in the cut pinna; no further result.
6 Slow, centripetal action in the cut pinna ; action in the primary pulvinus, and
extreme depression ; slow, partial action throughout one other pinna ; and very
slow, very partial action in the basal two-thirds of another ; no further result.
7 Action in the cut pinnules ; and in one or two pairs beneath them ; pause ; action
in the primary pulvinus ; long pause; spreading centripetal action in the cut
pinna ; pause ; slight action in the base of the other distal pinna; no further
result ; primary pulvinus readily responsive to mechanical impulse.
8 Tip of one pinnule only cut.—Action in that pair ; pause ; action in primary pul-
vinus, and full depression ; long pause ; very slow, partial action in the base
of the other pinna (a two pinnaed leaf) ; no further result.
9 Action in the cut pinnules ; pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; very slow
action in the pinnules of the cut pinna ; slow, partial action in the other pinna
(a two pinnaed leaf) commencing ere action had extended to the base of the
cut one.
1 0
i
Slow, almost complete action in that pinna ; pause ; action in the primary pul-
vinus, and extreme depression ; slow, partial action in two other pinnæ ; no
further result.
112
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TABLE II.—Showing Results of section of Distal Pinnules on mornings
after a fall of Rain—continued.
No. of E x p e r i -
ment.
Result.
11 Slow, spreading, complete action in the cut pinna; action in the primary pulvinus,
and full depression ; slow, incomplete action in two other pinnæ; long pause ;
very incomplete action in the base of the remaining pinna.
12 Tip of one pinnule only cut.—Action in that pair of pinnules ; pause; action in the
primary pulvinus, but depression only partial due to mechanical obstruction ;
pause ; centripetal action in the outer half of the cut pinna ; no futher result.
13 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; very slow but almost complete action in
that pinna; no further result ; primary pulvinus readily responsive to direct
impulse.
14 Results as in the previous case. After an interval, but before the first pinna had
completely recovered, the distal pinnules of the other pinna (a two-pinnaed
leaf) cut with the following results :—Pause ; action in the primary pulvinus,
and full depression ; complete action in that pinna ; no further result.
15 Action in the cut pinnules ; action in the primary pulvinus, and full depression ;
complete centripetal action in the cut pinna ; no further result.
16 Action in the cut pinnules ; pause ; action in the primary pulvinus, but depression
incomplete due to mechanical obstruction ; pause ; complete, centripetal action
in the cut pinna ; no further results.
17 Pause ; slow, spreading action in that pinna ; pause ; action in the primary pul-
vinus, and extreme depression ; spreading centrifugal action in two other
pinnæ, complete almost to the tips ; no further result.
18 Action in the cut pinnules ; pause ; slow, centripetal action in the cut pinna ;
pause ; conspicuous action in its secondary pulvinus ; pause ; action in the
primary pulvinus, and almost full depression ; imperfect centrifugal action
almost to the tip of the other distal pinna ; pause ; slow, incomplete action in
the base of the proximal pinna of the same side of the leaf as the cut pinna ;
no further result.
19 Long pause ; very slow action in the cut pinnules ; very slow, centripetal action
in the distal half of the cut pinna ; action in the primary pulvinus, but incom-
plete depression due to obstruction ; pause ; action of all the remaining pin-
nules on one side of the cut pinna save the two basal ones ; no action in the
six lowest pinnules of the other side; no further result.
20 Action in the cut pinnules ; pause ; rapid, complete centripetal action throughout
the cut pinna ; no further result. After an interval, and when the first pinna
had fully expanded in its basal half, the tip of the pinnules of the other distal
pinna were cut with the following results :—Action in the cut pinnules ; pause ;
action in the primary pulvinus and full depression ; pause ; complete, centri-
petal action in the second pinna; pause ; almost complete, centrifugal action
in the expanded, basal portion of the first pinna ; no further result.
The results of the experiments detailed in the present table are specially
Medical Officers of the Army of India .
113
significant when compared with those in the succeeding one. There is a general
resemblance in the phenomena in both, just as there was a general resemblance
in the conditions to which the plants were subject at the time of experiment.
There are at the same time differences in details of action corresponding with
details in the external conditions. When the experiments included in Table III
were carried out, the amount of soil moisture and of water on the leaves was
much greater than when those of the present table were conducted, and coincid
- i n g w i t h t h i s w e f i n d i n d i c a t i o n s o f d i m i n i s h e d t e n d e n c y t o ; e x t e n s i o n o f a c t i o n ,
and increased tendency to early action in the primary pulvinus. This will
appear more clearly if the results in these respects are tabulated alone :
—
Table II.—20 experiments.
Action extending to other pinnae in 10 cases.
Premature action in the primary pulvinus in 8 cases.
Table III.—10 experiments.
Action extending to other pinnæ in 4 cases.
Premature action in the primary pulvinus in 7. cases.
The conditions present in the experiments of Table III implied greater
supply of moisture and greater mechanical strain on the primary pulvinus than
those present in the experiments of Table II, and these were accompanied by
more localised action and a greater tendency to premature action in the primary
pulvinus:
TABLE III.— Showing Results of section of Distal Pinnules after a continuous
period of heavy Rainfall.
No. of
Experi -
ment.
Resul t.
The experiments detailed in this table were conducted between 8 and 9 A.M. of
morning was very
the 30th March after a night of continued heavy rain. The
cloudy, so that the brake of the plant had not been exposed to direct sunshine.
No rain was falling at the time, but the leaves, which were widely expanded,
were, as a rule, heavily loaded with drops of water. All the leaves experi-
mented with were fully developed but young ones, with four pinnæ .
1 Action in the cut pinnules ; pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; long pause ;
very slow, partial action to near the base of the cut pinna ; no further result.
2 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; very slow and partial, centripetal action
in the cut pinna in its outer three-fourths ; action in the primary pulvinus, but
depression mechanically partially obstructed ; pause ; centripetal, imperfect ac-
tion in the pinnules of one side of the basal fourth of the cut pinna : no fur-
ther result.
114
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TABLE III.— Showing Results of section of Distal Pinnules after a continuous
period of heavy Rainfall—continued.
No. of
Experi -
ment.
Resul t.
3 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; long
pause ; very slow, imperfect action in the distal two-thirds of the cut pinna ;
no further result.
4 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; very slow, incomplete action in the dis-
tal two-thirds of the cut pinna ; pause ; action in one pinnule below ; no fur-
ther result.
5 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; pause ;
slow, incomplete action in the distal three-fourths of the cut pinna; no fur-
ther result.
6 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; action in the primary pulvinus, but de-
pression somewhat obstructed ; slow, incomplete, centripetal action throughout
the cut pinna, and partial, very imperfect centrifugal action in one other pinna.
7 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; almost
complete action in the cut pinna ; slight, very imperfect action in one other
pinna a little above the base.
8 Action in the cut pin nules ; pause ; action in the primary pulvinus, and full de-
pression ; long pause ; very slow, imperfect action in the distal three-fourths
of the cut pinna ; long pause; imperfect action of the basal pinnules of one
side of the cut pinna ; no further result.
9 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; long
pause ; very slow, very imperfect action in the cut pinna and in one other
pinna ; no further result.
1 0 Action in the cut pinnules ; long pause ; very slow and exceedingly imperfect action
in the distal two-thirds of the cut pinna ; slow action in the primary pulvinus,
and full depression ; very imperfect action in the basal third of the cut pinna,
and very slow, very imperfect action in one other pinna ; no further result.
The phenomena presented in this series of experiments are just what ought
to have occurred according to the view that alterations in fluid tension, and the
degree of strain present in various parts in maintaining the expanded condition,
are the essential determinants of the propagation of movements from one part
to another of the plant. The plants were very moist, the supply of root mois
-ture excessive, the atmospheric humidity high, and the leaves loaded with ad
- h e r e n t w a t e r . C o i n c i d i n g w i t h t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s t h e r e w a s v e r y s l o w , i m p e r f e c t ,
and limited action, and a great tendency to early action on the part of the
primary pulvinus, action in it occurring in 7 out of the 10 cases as the first
phenomenon after action in the cut pinnules.
Medical Officers of the Army of India.
115
TABLE IV.—Showing the Results following section of Pinnules at different
points in Pinnœ.
No. of
Experi-
ment.
Result.
A.—Section of tips of distal pinnules of distal pinnæ.
1 Action in that pinna ; slight action in its secondary pulvinus ; action in the pri-
mary pulvinus, but depression somewhat obstructed mechanically ; no further
result.
2 Action in that pinna ; no further result.
3 Pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; centripetal action in that pinna ; cen-
trifugal action almost to the tip of the other distal pinna; no further result.
4 Slow action in that pinna, imperfect towards the base ; action in the primary pul-
vinus ; slight action in the bases of two other pinnæ ; no further result.
5 Progressive, complete action in that pinna ; no further result ; primary pulvinus
readily responsive to mechanical impulse ; re-expansion very rapid.
6 Progessive, complete action to nearly the base of that pinna ; no further result ;
primary pulvinus readily responsive to mechanical impulse.
7 Pause ; full action in the primary pulvinus ; spreading, complete, centripetal action
in that pinna; no further result.
8 Very slow and imperfect action in that pinna; no further result; primary pulvinus
readily responsive to mechanical impulse.
9 Pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; action in the cut pinna ; no further result.
1 0 Slow and almost complete action in that pinna ; pause ; action in the primary
pulvinus ; no further result.
B.—Section of tips of proximal pinnules of proximal pinnæ.
1 1 Pause ; action in the primary pulvinus ; slow, slight, imperfect action in the bases
of both proximal pinnæ ; no further result.
12 Pause ; commencing centrifugal action in the base of that pinna ; action in the
primary pulvinus ; completed centrifugal action in that pinna ; incomplete
action in the base of two, and complete action in the base of the third remain-
ing pinna.
13 Pause ; incomplete action in the base of that pinna ; incomplete action in the
basal halves of the other pinn; no further result ; primary pulvinus readily
responsive to mechanical impulse.
116
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TABLE IV .—Showing the Results following section of Pinnules at different
points in Pinnæ—continued.
No. of
Experi -
ment.
Resul t.
14 Commencing centrifugal action in that pinna ; action in the primary pulvinus ;
completed action in the cut pinna extending nearly to the tip ; long pause.
centrifugal action almost to the tip of the remaining pinna (a two-pinnaed leaf).
15 Pause ; action in that and the opposite secondary pulvinus ; slow, spreading
action in the bases of both proximal pinnæ ; pause slight action in the bases
of both distal pinnæ ; no further result ; primary pulvinus rigid.
16 Long pause ; slow, centrifugal action in the base of that pinna ; pause ; action
extended almost to the tip ; slow action in the basal half of the remaining
pinna (a two-pinnaed leaf) ; no further result ; primary pulvinus readily
responsive to mechanical impulse.
17 Pause ; very slow, imperfect action in the basal two-thirds of both pinnæ (a two-
pinnaed leaf) ; no further result ; primary pulvinus rigid.
18 Pause ; slow, centrifugal action in that and the other proximal pinna ; pause
action in the primary pulvinus ; slow, partial action in the other two pinnæ .
19 Slow, partial, imperfect action in that pinna ; action in the primary pulvinus ;
slow, partial action in the remaining pinnæ.
20 Action in the primary pulvinus ; imperfect action in that pinna ; long pause ; partial
action in the basal two-thirds of the other pinnæ.
C.—Section of tips of central pinnules of proximal pinnæ.
21 Pause ; imperfect centripetal action in that pinna ; pause ; very imperfect centri-
fugal action in it ; no further result ; the primary pulvinus readily responsive
to mechanical impulse.
22 Pause ; centripetal action in that pinna ; very imperfect centrifugal action in it ;
very slow, imperfect action in the basal halves of the remaining pinnæ ; no
further result ; primary pulvinus readily responsive to mechanical impulse.
23 Pause ; imperfect centripetal action ; pause ; very slow, imperfect centrifugal
action ; action in the primary pulvinus ; imperfect action in the remaining
pinnæ; no further result.
24 Pause ; centripetal action in that pinna ; centrifugal action in it ; action in the
primary pulvinus ; incomplete action in the other pinnæ ; no further result.
25 Action in the primary pulvinus ; centripetal action in the cut pinna ; very slow,
centrifugal action in it; imperfect action in the other pinnæ; no further
result.
Medical Officers of the Army of India . 117
TABLE IV.—Showing the Results following section of Pinnules at different
points in Pinnœ—concluded.
No. of
Experi -
ment.
Resul t.
26 Pause ; centripetal action in that pinna ; long pause ; very slow, centrifugal action
in it ; action in the primary pulvinus ; slight action in the other pinnæ no
further result.
27 Pause ; centripetal action in the cut pinna ; imperfect, centrifugal action in it ;
action in the primary pulvinus ; slight action in the remaining pinnæ.
28 Pause ; centripetal action in the cut pinna ; long pause ; action in its secondary
pulvinus ; long pause ; centrifugal action in the cut pinna ; very slight action in
the remaining pinnæ ; no further result ; primary pulvinus readily responsive
to mechanical impulse.
29 Pause ; centripetal action in the cut pinna; centrifugal action in it ; action in
the other pinna (a two-pinnaed leaf) ; action in the primary pulvinus ; no .
further result.
This table consists of the results in a series of experiments carried out
in a morning following a night in the early part of which there had been a heavy
shower of rain. The morning was cloudless but slightly hazy, the sunshine had
not at the time of experiment reached the brake of Mimosa, and the leaves were
widely expanded, well-washed but relatively dry, the amount of adherent moisture
being trifling as compared with that present after a normal dewy night. The
results of the experiments are typical for plants under similar conditions.
The amount of action in the leaves was almost in every case very limited,
the action sometimes being confined to the cut pinna, sometimes extending
to other pinnae in greater or less degree, but leaving the primary pulvinus
unaffected, and in no case was the action complete throughout the leaf. In 6
cases only did the primary pulvinus act immediately in sequence to the cut
pi nnul es, but i n i o cases i t acted before any of the uni nj ured pi nnæ and i n some of
these before action in the cut pinna was completed. These results in regard to
the period at which the primary pulvinus acted should be compared with those
in Table VII, in which we have io cases, in 8 of which action in the primary
pulvinus immediately succeeded action in the injured pinnules. This difference,
as well as the generally-limited character of the action in the leaves, cannot
be ascribed to any incapacity for action in these cases, for the contractile
apparatus almost without exception responded fully to direct impulses. They
are, however, just what the conditions under which the plants were at the time
of experiment will account for. There had been a recent and abundant supply
118
Scientific Memoirs by
of moisture, but the leaves were not weighted by it, and the direct sunshine had
not yet impinged on the brake. There was an abundant supply of root moisture,
slight evaporation, and an absence of extraneous strain on the primary pulvini
coincident with very limited extension of action and delay in the action of
the primary pulvini.
TABLE V.— Results of Experiments on section of Distal Pinnules in Dry Leaves
fully exposed to direct sunshine .
No. of
Experi -
ment.
Resul t.
1 Spreading and complete action in that leaf ; no further result.
2
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
3
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
4
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
5
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
6
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
7
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
8
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
9
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
1 0
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
1 1
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
12
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
13 Spreading almost complete action in that leaf ; no further result.
14
Ditto
ditto
ditto.
15 Spreading complete action in that leaf ; action in the first leaf below.
The results in this table contrast strongly with those in the preceding one.
The difference is, however, quite in accordance with the difference in conditions
present in this case. The experiments were here conducted on a bright, clear
morning, with very warm sunshine and relatively dry air and after the brake