On the effect of water, raised to temperatures moderately higher than that of the atmosphere, upon batrachian reptiles

Dr. Edwards had found, by a series of experiments, that the batra-chian reptiles, when immersed in hot water, live for a shorter time in proportion as the temperature of the water is higher; and that at 108° of Fahrenheit they die almost instantaneously. The author of the present paper observes, that the extinction of life in these cases is owing to a cause of a more immediately destructive agency than the mere suspension of respiration: he finds that if only the head of the animal is placed under water of 120°, the animal struggles, but soon ceases to move; but if the spine as well as the limbs be immersed, convulsions supervene, and the muscles become rigid: in both cases the action of the heart continues. If one of the limbs, which after the extinction of sensibility still remains flexible, be separated from the body, and placed in water of 120°, its muscles contract and become rigid; this effect taking place first in the superficial, and next in the deep seated muscles. When the nerve, separated from the other parts, was alone placed in hot water, the muscles were not affected: and when the muscles had been made to contract by hot water, they were no longer capable of being affected by irritations applied to the nerve. The heart removed from the body, and placed in hot water, gradually contracted and remained rigid. Hence the author concludes that the death of the animal, when occasioned by the sudden application of heat to the surface, is not owing to asphyxia, but to a positive agency, destroying the functions of the nervous and muscular systems; the muscles of involuntary motion being affected in like manner with those of voluntary motion.