Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-06-10
ORIGINAL.

Explanatory Remarks UPON Hor,ner A ,,ti
Gle. Experiments upon thes tieart o1 AM
mails sc
In a former article upon the organization and
formation of the Human Heart, Circulation and
Composition of the Blood, tSc.,-we were not
aware that the humble opinions of an unassu-
ming individual would receive any thing more
than casual perusal by the readers OF the Tela
graph and much less, that those opinions would
be supposed to have originated from any member
of the medical profession practising in this vcin-
ity. We did not maintain, would We have it
understood, that those views were any thing new
under the sun, Neither did vanity, wisdom
profoundneas and intelligence in relation TO that
subject, prompt to Promulgate them. We
merely stated facts which others had discovered
the smallest scool-boy knows, or should know,
and which we believe to be true, if we can trust
our own Senses in practical experiments made
under our own observation. All claim is
the simple statement of few important facts
which have been demonstrated for ages and
which reason and common sense have taught US
by personal application, study and reflection, up
on the fundamental principles of Nature laws,
and the pcrceptble effects of those laws.
With these explanatory observations, deemed
necessary 10 correct an erroneous impression
known to exist in tho minds ola few,--we now
proceed to speak of some experiments made and
which tend to corroborata the views heretofore
expressed.
while rusticadng at Plymouth County, Mass,
during the summer months OF the year 1s40, we
were engaged in an early morning walk, viewing
the beautiful scenery around us, and conte mpla-
ting upon the harmony and perfection of Ma
lures laws which govern all things material and
immatcrial,- when, by some ne&plicable cause,
our thoughts interruptedby the croakings
of numerous frogs in pond at short distance.
This led us to reflect upon the physiology of the
voice in man, beasts, birds and reptiles and,
however nhuman the act may appear TO others,
we at once decided to investigate the vocal APP
paratus ofthe frog, and perhaps draw from anal
.ogy what then had never known by sight the
vocal apparatus Of man.
Selling timely occasion, and with proper IN
struments for the purpose, we obtained stout,
lusty and noisy fellow, and Immediately com
lnenced investigation. clean section was first
made from the anterior bese Of the lower Jaw in
horizontal line with the body, and continued
through the thoracic and abdominal walls to the
anterior bony edge of the pelvic cavity. BY this
process all the organs contained within the the
and abdomen were exposed to view The
larynx and trachca then carefully entered,
BY which the vocal apparatus was directly exhb-
'ted to the eye, a description Of which is foreign
10 present purposes.
TIE lungs had collapsed and raspretion ceas-
ed,-yet the heart continually and regularly
contracting and dilating. The circulation of The
blood could not be perceived this manlcstly
would require the aid of microscope. The
heart was then removed from its seat, in-connee-
ton with the lungs, and carefully laid aside for
the purpose ofinvestigating other organs, and the
distribution OF the nervous system which is SO re-
snarkably developed in this little reptile This oc-
cupied some fifteen to twenty Minutes when
casually we were attracted 10 the hearts action,
winch, mnch to our surprise, was yet con tract
ing and dilatng, regular aud alternating, and for
the period of thirty minutes or moro this irrjto
bty of the organ vas keptup Hence we were
led to conclude from this instance that the hearts
action is to extent Independent of nervous
influence received directly from the brain or spi-
nal marrow, Or both-and bringing to mind some
little physiological information which we have
laid in store for practical purposes, 1t was reco-
lected that this fact had been known from time
imme mortal. Still, recolleetng asuggesfion from
an old friend and tutor, that the heart of fishes
and reptiles inhabting water, generally manifest
ihs irritability long after death has occurred in
che body, we were not satisfied with this single
but proceeded in relation to birds and