non of BLUSHING, IS UNDOUBTEDLY TRUE; the phenomenon in each case depends on the action of the organic nerves surrounding the arteries.

In the London Lancet, published in 1833, there is a case reported, which was under the care of Dr. WATSON, in the Middlesex Hospital, of a tumor in the epigastric region, which was mistaken by several practitioners, who declared it to be aneurism, and which subsided on the patient being well purged.

This case confirms the opinion put forward by Dr. MOTT, that dilatation of the arteries can be produced by nervous irritation.

When the tip of the index finger is attacked with a whitlow, the radial as well as digital arteries become fuller, harder, and pulsate violently; this condition of the arteries is accompanied by intense pain. The retina of organic nerves surrounding and entering into the tissue of the arteries, continued from the axillary artery, is in a state of irritation; hence the phenomena with respect to the condition of the arteries is susceptible of explanation, viz., "nervous irritation."

Positive and Circumstantial Proofs that the Capillary Arteries form Glands at their Terminations.

Now, it has been fully demonstrated that the organic nerves surround the arteries and send branches into their tissue.

It is fully ascertained that the blood in the smallest artery is arterial.

It is well known that the blood in the smallest vein is darkcolored, or venous.

It is a fact that the blood, at a point corresponding to the termination of the capillary artery and commencement of the capillary vein, ceases to be arterial, and becomes venous.

It is evident, therefore, the blood, in passing through the termination of the artery, gives off its oxygen and becomes venous.

It is a chemical law, that the union of oxygen with any other matter is attended with the evolution of heat.

It is a physical law, that the production of heat is attended with the evolution of electricity.

An excretory duct is characteristic of a secretory gland. The salivary glands and the kidneys are examples of secreting glands; the former secrete the saliva, the latter the urine. The kidneys are supplied with blood by the renal arteries, which are surrounded by the renal plexuses of nerves; the blood is removed from the kidneys by the renal or emulgent veins, and the urine by the excretory ducts of the kidneys and the ureters.

To test by direct experiment whether organic glands exist at the termination of the capillary arteries and the point where the capillary veins commence, let a man be told to run a mile, or until he gets fatigued: here it is to be observed, when a man runs, all the muscles are thrown into action; that the circulation is rapidly increased; that the venous blood is sent more rapidly by the action and pressure of the muscles to the right side of the heart, and from thence to the lungs; that the respiration becomes hurried; that more oxygen is combined with the blood; that burning heat of the surface is the result; that great thirst is complained of. Let a drink of cool tea be now given to him, and let him partake copiously of it, and witness what occurs. Almost immediately, the burning heat of the surface subsides, and an exhalation all over the body, from top to toe, will set in, followed by a copious perspiration from all the pores of the skin, as well as from the hair; (a hair is a hollow tube, and connected with a secreting gland.)

The explanation of what has taken place can now be expounded. The fluid taken into the stomach is rapidly absorbed and conveyed to the venous circulation; the blood, on being transmitted from the right side of the heart to the lungs, allays the excited condition of the pulmonary glands; and on being carried from the left side of the heart by the aorta and its branches all over the head, trunk, and extremities, the water supplied to the blood quenches the fire caused by the excess of oxygen introduced into the venous blood by the excited state of the pulmonary glands. The oxygen being in excess on uniting with the glands at the terminations of the arteries, increases the temperature of the surface to the highest degree. The evolution of electricity must necessarily attend the evolution of heat. The arterial blood containing the water, in its pas

sage through the glands, has the latter decomposed by the electricity; the hydrogen of the water unites with the excess of oxygen in the blood, as well as some of the salts in the blood, forms water, which passes through the excretory duct of the gland, (the pore of the skin,) and thus soon removes the surplus oxygen from the blood.

Another Example to demonstrate the Pores of the Skin are in communication with the Organic Glands is well presented when a person is suffering extreme thirst.

Immersion in fresh water quenches thirst; the water passes through the pores of the skin into the glands; the electricity evolved on the union of the oxygen with the glands decomposes the water, the hydrogen of which unites with the excess of oxygen, forms water, which is carried into the venous circulation, and thus allays nervous excitement at the same time that it affords a certain amount of sustenance to the organs of the body.

The same explanation is true of persons who are immersed in salt water surviving, whilst persons on a raft perish.

The mode in which persons have the color of their skin changed by taking nitrate of silver for a length of time for the cure of epilepsy, presents a beautiful and direct experiment to demonstrate that the oxygen unites with the organic glands situated between the capillary arteries and veins.

When nitrate of silver is taken for a great length of time, the capillary nerves surrounding the capillary arteries become imbued with the action of the nitrate of silver, as well as the organic glands; the blood circulating through the intestinal organic glands is next contaminated or impregnated with the silver; the venous blood is carried from the glands thus charged with the silver to the right side of the heart, thence to the lungs, where it receives its oxygen, and next conveyed to the left side of the heart, from whence it is sent by the arteries all over the body; on the union of the oxygen with the organic nervous glands, the silver is also communicated to the glands, and in due time, when a sufficient quantity is deposited in the organic nervous glands, on exposure to light, forms AN OXIDE

of silver; which accounts for THE COLOR of the skin, as already described.

From what has been just stated, the inference must be deduced, that there is a secreting organ or gland at the termination of the capillary artery and commencement of the capillary vein, inasmuch as that the blood ceases to be arterial, that the blood becomes venous, and that secretion also takes place; so that it becomes evident, without the intervention of a secerning organ, such changes could not be accomplished.

The organic gland is formed or composed of the termination of the capillary artery, the commencement of the capillary vein and the excretory duct, together with the organic nerves continued on the external coat and in the tissue of the artery.

Respiration.

The pulmonary ganglion sends a retina of nerves, which surround the pulmonary artery, sending twigs into its coats, and are thus continued on all the branches of the artery to their termination in capillaries, where they form organic nervous glands.

The organic nervous glands, therefore, are situated at the termination of the pulmonary capillary arteries, and give origin to the pulmonary capillary veins. The blood, therefore, has to pass through the gland before it can reach the vein.

The glands are in direct communication with the air-cells, which are analogous to the pores of the skin, which are in communication with the organic nervous glands of the skin. The organic glands in the lungs communicate with the air from within. In the skin, the organic glands are in communication with the air from without; hence the analogy between the skin and lungs.

As soon as the air comes in contact with the organic glands in the air-cells of the lungs, the glands are stimulated, and give off electricity, precisely in the same way as the electrical eel, when stimulated, gives off electricity, which causes the union of the oxygen of the air to unite with the venous blood which is passing through the gland, which, on being thus arterialized, is conveyed from the glands by the pulmonary veins to the left auricle of the heart.

On the union of the oxygen with the venous blood heat is evolved, and a certain amount of electricity, which expels the carbon and hydrogen, in the shape of vapor, from the lungs.

The Blood.

The blood is indispensably necessary for the support and continuance of life, and is only second in importance to the organic nervous system. It is the medium or current for conveying the oxygen to the organic glands-it is, in truth, the stream of life; besides, it furnishes the materials for the regeneration and renovation of the various organs of the body, under the vital action of the organic nervous system.

The Oxygen.

The oxygen ranks next in importance to the blood. By the union of the oxygen with the organic glands, the operations of life are made manifest, characterized by respiration, circulation, and animal heat.

The cessation of respiration for a short time is attended with suspended animation or temporary death. The total suspension of respiration is followed by death.

Vigorous respiration is accompanied by increased action of the heart and increased temperature of the surface of the body; whatever circumstance has a tendency to weaken or strengthen respiration is followed by a weakened or strengthened action of the heart, as well as a lower or higher temperature of the surface. Respiration being the effect consequent on the evolution of electricity or vital fluid by the pulmonary organic glands, it follows as a consequence, that whatever depresses or excites the organic nervous system weakens or strengthens respiration.*

* The experiments of Sir B. BRODIE completely overthrow the doctrine of the chemists with respect to the production of animal heat; amongst them LIEBEG may be mentioned as the most celebrated.

Sir B. BRODIE says, "that in an animal in which the brain has ceased to exercise its functions, although respiration continues to be performed, and the circulation of the blood is kept up to the natural standard, although the usual changes in the sensible qualities of the blood take place in the two capillary