Summary

Hears from Frank [Darwin] that Drosera behaves perversely. Suggests that motor influence may move longitudinally away from the excited glands.

Summary

Thanks JSBS for his work. CD concludes the ferment of Drosera must differ from pepsin.

Summary

Sends his MS on Dionaea and hopes it may be useful for JSBS’s lecture ["On the mechanism of the leaf of Dionaea muscipula", Not. Proc. R. Inst. G. B. 7 (1874): 332–5].

Summary

Discusses the powers of digestion of Drosera and why certain substances produce less excitement in the plant than others.

Summary

Thanks for the careful experiments, particularly on organic acids.

Summary

CD can provide leaves of Dionaea if JSBS wishes to investigate electric currents in them.

His experiments show that the digestive action of Drosera seems like that of true digestion.

Summary

Richard Buckley Litchfield will soon be able to send CD revised copies of the bill.

Will write to Sir John Lubbock to ask if he will present the bill.

Summary

CD has seen Sir John [Lubbock] who suggests that L. Playfair would be the best man to present the [vivisection] petition, but thinks the proposed bill much more important and useful. JL also suggests that the bill be given a more humanitarian aspect and that it be presented to both Houses of Parliament.

Summary

Pleased JSBS has decided to work on Drosera; sends plants. Does not know whether thermo-electric pile could detect temperature change when leaves close.

CD’s experiment with very weak hydrochloric acid repeated with success: the plants digest albumen more quickly.

Summary

CD astonished at receiving the Baly Medal of the Royal College of Physicians.

Summary

Requests JSBS sign certificate for [Francis Darwin’s] candidacy [for Royal Society].

Summary

Frankland is sending JSBS organic acids for him to try artificial digestion. CD will send globulin and haemoglobin.

Summary

Has been experimenting with phosphates on Drosera and wonders whether animals digest a particular one.

Asks whether Huxley has approached him regarding the introduction of a vivisection act.

Summary

CD is delighted to hear that JSBS’s exertions and labour will probably be rewarded by success. He has had a note from Playfair who, like Lubbock, thinks the title and preamble [of the proposed bill] "had better wear a more humanitarian aspect".

Summary

Thanks for the acid digestion experiments, which can be printed as they are. CD trying Drosera on dentine and enamel.

Summary

Encloses the bill with its corrected preamble. How many copies would he like?

Hopes JSBS can attend the meeting of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on 5 May 1875.

Summary

Thinks it would be worth while testing for electrical changes in the leaves of insectivorous plants.

Summary

Suggests experiments on artificial digestion.

Summary

Would welcome JSBS visit to discuss Drosera. Nitrogenous fluids can act as ferments only if they act merely by exciting molecular movement in adjoining molecules.

Glass and cotton excite movement and cause cell contents to change visibly. Huxley coming to see this phenomenon.

Studied effect of poisons 12 or 15 years ago to see whether the action was similar to that on nervous tissue.

Summary

Wishes JSBS to look over an abstract of his Drosera experiments and to answer some questions on it.