New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-10
SCIENCE AND MECHANICS
LIFE AND ELECTRICITY.

DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY IN THE GLANDS AND
MUCOUS MEMBRANES OF ANIMALS
Aside from analogies and figures OF speech ana
not counting the so-ca,ied amman magnetism "a
Mesmer which is possibly psychological ana not
physiological phenomenon. there seems 10 De SOM
c,,rously intimate relation between life and eiec-
trici,y which biologists have been investigating ioi
for,v mr. hfty years recent review Of these in
ouiries In Science Progress shows that there Is
come disagreement as to facts. and still more as to
explanations; but even in this Incomplete state OF
Seve,opment the subject is an interesting one
Experiment thus far has been chieny cohiiieu ~
N. e,anas Of the skin Of frogs and other animals
To salivary glands. the stomach lining ana various
other mucous membranes; but these tests nave
been quite numerous and carried on with many
notifications In the first place IL appears 'ia'
during a great part OF the time various g!ahus
,vh,s In what may be regarded state OF com
narrative rest nevertheless generate enough eec-
trc,ty 10 be dscernibe with delicate Instruments
and this current usually has an inward erection
IL though some external stimulus be applied 10 the
1land there is apt to be a reversal or direction or
lesening OF the intensity of the current oil res"
Attraction of heat inhibition Of water, painting
with various drugs, interference IN bood supply 10
the organ and changes In the KIND and quah'l'y OF
the stimulus vary the result In human SUBJECTS
tick,,nS mental effort sound. the expectation OF
nuna and pungent odors produce sensible effects. If
electrical connections be made between some part
of the skin, like the palm OF the hahd' reduVey
rich in sweat glands, and regions poor therein
ru,o theories have been advanced as to the cause
Of this occurrence Bayliss and Bradford attribute
the phenomenon 10 the flow Of fluid in the secreting
mechanism whica is scarcely more than friction
1t Is known that the movement OF water IN eei's
and ducts does produce current in other cases: with
porous daphragms and in plants; but some oi 'he
observed facts apparently contradict TINS suppo
ton when applied to animals. The other prihcipa'
exclamation is that changes in metabolism one way
~ the other lie at the root of electrical variations
an life "Metabolism" is a word which biologists
use 10 designate two elias Of action In the pro'o
nasm of the cells which make up animal tissue
One anabosm. is constructive IL taxes "ia'eiia'
out Of the blood and builds up the cell there"l.h
1t stores and strengthens. kataboiism OH TIC
other hand converts this accumulated ana manu-
featured 'life-material into separate sups'A
eweat saliva or something else-to be thrown OIL
This process is destructive OF protopiasm oieue
mann regards the process OF secretion III s
katabonc. and as explaining the in-going curren.
~ rest" while anabolism he regards the cause Oh
the outgoing current . ,,
For a further elucdation of this subject. II wouid
=, natural 70 look TO those marine creatures which
develop electricity such degree as 10 pdi &c
their prey with a shock or succession Oh s"o,h'
Little Roadway has yet been made. though III Una.
direction. Fritsch. says the science frosres
revewer held that the organ Of the electrical shao
found in certain African rivers. Is composer u
g,anduIar cells derived from the overIyins SKIN
In this fish. as also In the electrical IA! anu "
moreover, the action Of the organ Is Voiun'ai' anu
under the control Of the possessor Inc "'"'.',
being more intense. is susceptible OF more ca'eiui
study whilo the par: which the VIII plays ~, ~
manifestation gives the latter new value. II Is
hard TO avoid the belief that further exploration VI
,besa phenomena may reveal something reeaiu"e
the higher functions Of life. volition meh'a'i'S anu
perhaps moral operations. in ADDITION 10 'Ne pu''
physical