Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-05-27

by sympathy with all parts of the body, its action
does not seem to be directly owing to nervous in
f1uence, received from the brain or spinal mar
row, or both. For, if both the brain and spinal
marrow be destroyed, the circulation may, in
deed, be kept up for some time, as we have re-
peatedly seen in experiments made upon various
animals. The heart of all animals is capable of
receiving an artificial stimuli fora longer or short
period after death has taken place in the body
and exhibit responsive signs of such impression
being made, by a spasmodic action somewhat SIM
liar to that of contraction and datation existing
in the animal while living. If, however, the
blood constituting the venous circulation, from
loss of its vitality from change of properties,
becomes coasulated in the right cavities of the
heart, no such action will take place-nor will
any stimuli whatever, possess the least influence
over it. This circumstance, the formation of CO.
agulated blood in the right side of the heart, ac-
counts in some measure for the unsuccessful APP
plication of galvanism in the case of drowned
persons, and Of criminals who have paid the for
felt of their lives upon tie scaffold of iahuman
Justice
Such being the fact then in the latter case, and
we believe no one who HIS made the subject a
point of investigation will deny the position -
how unfeelng and brutal ,-aye, worse than b,u-
tai, is the conduct of those who, under the mser-
able privilege obtained from the civil authorities
of the land-subiect a deod man.-dead in the
eyes ofthe law, and dead in point of fact to hor-
rible grimaces and distortions of face-conyul-
sions of limbs and moan;nre Of yo;co 1ybo, b,
mainly nor science in case of the kind has ev-
er been whit the wiser or better from the ap-
plicaton of Galvanism? Heaven knows it is
bad enough to witness the dying agones of an III
dividual-t is no peasnrable gratifcaton-and
hardened indeed must that man be to all the mo-
raj and refined feelings Of the human heart, who
could desire, encourage take part in the pro-
ceedings just alluded to. God grant we may
hear no more of them Not that we lack courage,
fortitude, and the inclination to commend all USE
full experiments, SO far as any such may be SER
vlceable TO the human race On the contrary we
commend and urge them, and would sacrifice as
much personally as any other individual 10 their
prosecution, study and practical application
The instance now referred to, however, is i'm
pTdCliCdDle III every respect, ana DeillS louLutu
in the erroneous belief that life may in some ca
ses be restored, it has at last become general
transaction in public executions. We have shown,
we think, lncontrovertbly the fallacy of this be-
lief, in statement respecting coaguated
blood in the right side of the heart, and its atten-
dant consequences. If more need be added, we
would say, that the time during which those
fortunate individuals are usually suspended, is
more than sufficien mt to render this result neva-
be We war, therefore, against popular error,
aud an inhuman experiment, and no further.
In the case of drowned persons, or of suspend
ed animation from other causes, however, there
are modifying circumstances which might render
Galvanism proper and perhaps the only means
of restoration. Hence in instances of this kind,
we are frank to its utility and speak of in
reference to this, as answering admirably one of
the objects for which it is designed
OF the formation of blood, we can give no ac-
| count in this place, without describing at length
| the process of digestion, with which it is directly
connected. We can only assert, that the blood is
an animal fluid, formed chiefly from the digestive
| and pssmilative processes acquiring important
properties during respiration entering every or
gan through the circulation distributing the nu-
trtive principles to every texture and the source
of every secretion. Human blood is composed of
water, allumen, ibrne, an Manufacturing sub
stance, little fatty matter and different salts
as muriates ofpotass and soda, phoshate of lime,
subcarbonate of soda lime magnesia, xide ofiron,
and lactate of soda, united with animal matter.
.arterial blood is of horid red color, strong
SMELL temperature 100 degrees; specific gravity
l ,049. Veaous blood is of brownish-red; tenn
perature 90 degrees specific gravity ] .051. The
difference in color has given occasion to the first
being called red blood the latter black The
former, which is distributed from the heart, is
nearly the same through its whole extent the
latter is the remains of the arteria blood after the
different elements have been taken from it, in
nutrition, and probably differs in composition
1t likewise contains substances absorbed. We
nous blood, taken from vessel and left to ITSELF
becomes solid; and separates into two parts -
the 10ateru supernatant fluid and the cIot. The
water contains a.bumen in solution and the salts
ofthe blood The clot contains the fbrine, col
oring matter, little water, and a small quantity
of salts. The coloring portion of the blood con-
ssts of red globu les, which contain iron and
this is probably one ofthe agents of the celebration
operated in the lungs the oxygen of the air
combining with the venons blood in the minute
ramifications of the pulmonary arteries. The