other wet excitor on the nape of the neck.
As soon as this has been done, the patient
will hear a little noise like scratching, and
when the intermissions of the current are
more rapid, these noises approach each other
and imitate the buzzing of a fly on the window.
Lost smell may be also sometimes restored
by exciting the mucous membrane of the nose;
and the nerves of the taste are made active
by metallic excitors, conducted to the edges of
the tongue and the palate. As the current
of the second order exercises a specific effect
on the retina of the eye, it may be used in
amaurosis without changes of structure.

The muscles of the pharynx can also be
excited, and when paralysed, may be beneficially
affected. The larynx has been excited
in cases of loss of voice, produced by paralysis
of the muscles of the larynx. Direct
Faradisation of the stomach, the liver, the heart,
and the lungs, is not possible, but they can
be excited indirectly by electrifying the tenth
pair of nerves, accessible through the pharynx.

Excitation of the diaphragm can be easily
produced by electrifying the phrenic nerves,
which are to be reached on the sides of the
neck. Instantly, when the current is closed,
the artificial respiration is provided, the
thorax is expanded and the air rushes into
the lungs with considerable noise. It is
possible to maintain respiration in a body even
some time after death, and it may easily be
conceived how very important this agent
may become in asphyxia, whether produced
by charcoal fumes, by opium, by chloroform,
by drowning, or by cholera. In all these
cases the first indication is to induce respiration,
which is often to save life.

CAT'S GREASE.

AMONG the various products of the animal
kingdom we are not aware that cat's grease
holds a very high rank. However, when the
people of a certain Swiss town—meaning that
a person has made a bad bargain—declare
that " he has bought cat's grease," we might
be inclined to suppose that the proverbial
expression was based in the small value of
the article said to be purchased. At least,
we may be inclined to adopt this hypothesis,
were we not aware of the strange incident to
which the expression owes its origin.

One day, some few centuries ago, the
witch-finder of the town in question—
himself secretly a wizard—was taking his
afternoon's walk, when he suddenly perceived
a cat, of the male sex, sitting in the warm
sun and looking very thin and miserable. He
had known this cat in better days; he had
been the chief favourite of a rich old maid,
who had trained him up in luxurious living,
so that he had been regarded in the
neighbourhood as a sort of prize cat. But the
ruthless scythe of death had mowed down the
ancient virgin, and had thus soon brought
Tom's happy days to a disastrous end.
Persecution at the hands of boys and dogs had
taken the place of universal adulation, and
he was now as shaggy and as meagre as he
had formerly been sleek and fat. However,
though Tom's body had wasted, the pride of
his heart had not diminished, and therefore
when the wizard said to him, "How much
shall I offer you for your fat? " he looked
not a little fierce, and gave the conjuror to
understand that the remark, in his opinion,
revealed a large amount of bad taste. He
considered, in fact, to use a sadly vulgar
expression, that he was being "chaffed" for
his lean condition.

Tom was mistaken. The worthy necromancer
was perfectly serious with his question,
and was really thinking how he should
transact a little business with the fallen
favourite. Cat's grease was an invaluable
ingredient for certain magical preparations,
provided the cat, to whom it belonged,
willingly made a donation of it. This proviso
rendered good efficient cat's grease an
exceedingly rare commodity; for though there
might be no great difficulty in finding a fat
tabby or tortoiseshell, the discovery of a
tabby or tortoiseshell, willing to part with its
fat was no such easy matter.

Now, here was a cat in a state of desperation—
a cat to whom the vicissitudes of
fortune had rendered life a burden. Such a
cat, with the tested capability of growing fat,
when well fed, seemed exactly suited to the
purpose of the wizard. So, in round terms,
he offered Tom a whole lunar month's luxurious
living, on condition that, at the expiration
of the said month, the said Tom would
voluntarily lay down his life, yielding up all the fat
that he had acquired through the high feeding
of four successive weeks. Tom, who saw
no alternative besides dying of hunger, and
being killed from repletion, chose the better
mode of terminating his existence, and without
hesitation accepted the wizard's proposal.
A contract signed by both parties, gave due
formality to the transaction.

Such high importance did the arch-wizard
attach to an abundant supply of cat's grease,
that as soon as he had taken Tom to his own
house, he resolved to spare no pains in making
him as fat as possible. The apartment destined
for his lodging was fitted up as an artificial
landscape. A little wood was perched on the
top of a little mountain, which rose from the
backs of a little lake. On the branches of the
trees were perched dainty birds, all roasted,
and emitting a most savoury odour. From the
cavities of the mountain peered forth sundry
baked mice, all seasoned with delicious
stuffing and exquisitely larded with bacon.
The lake consisted of the newest milk with a
small fish or two at the bottom. Thus, to
the enjoyment of the epicure, was added the
excitement of imaginary sportsmanship.

Enjoying freely all the luxuries that the
arch-wizard had provided, Tom now became
as fat as that worthy necromancer could