Croonian lecture.— On the nature of muscular contraction

I beg your kind attention for a few moments to some observations and considerations on the nature of muscular contraction. Besides its general biological interest, the subject may claim a particular interest for the members of this Society, for the venerable institution of these Croonian Lectures is especially devoted to the furtherance of the study of muscular life, and, moreover, the Royal Society has, through its Fellows, from Robert Hooke down to our friend Professor Schäfer, produced numerous researches on muscular structure and action which may be said to belong to the most valuable part of our scientific property.