In general I have constantly observed that the animal contractility ceases after death, first in the brain, then in the spinal marrow and last in the nerves. When the muscles no longer move by irritating the first of these organs, they contract by stimulating the others. The irritated nerves can still communicate a motion, when the spinal marrow, no longer exhibits this phenomenon. I have not observed that the superior part of the nerve ceased sooner to transmit motion, than the inferior. But what is remarkable is that certain nerves, under the influence of the same irritation, make their muscles contract more strongly than others; such for example is the phrenic. When all the other muscles cease to be moveable by the artificial excitement of their nerves, the diaphragm is still moved by this means. Whilst experiments have but little effect elsewhere, they are in full force upon this muscle; this is the more remarkable, as during life this is precisely the one which is the least affected by the state of the brain and the spinal marrow; paralysis and convulsions hardly ever affect it, as we have seen. Besides, in thus comparing the duration of animal contractility, the same stimulant should always be employed; for the effects are more or less evident according to those which we use. When the whole brain and the nerves are no longer sensible to mechanical or chemical agents, they still powerfully obey galvanic impulses. The irritation of the metals is of all the means at present known, the most efficacious in perpetuating animal contractility some time after death. _Organic Properties._ Organic sensibility is the manifest portion of the muscles of which we are treating; constantly brought into action in them by nutrition, absorption and exhalation, it becomes still more apparent, when we irritate muscles that are laid bare; they feel this irritation, and the motion, of which we shall speak hereafter, is the result of this feeling which is centred in the muscle, and which is not referable to the brain. Insensible organic contractility is the attribute of this muscular system, as of all the others. The sensible organic contractility is very evident in it. If we lay bare a muscle in a living animal, and irritate it with any agent, it curls up, contracts and is agitated. A detached muscular portion exhibits for some instants the same phenomenon.