In the course of his investigations Dr. Bose found that the uncertainty
of the early type of his receiver was brought on by fatigue, and that
the curve of fatigue of his instrument closely resembled the fatigue
curve of animal muscle. He was soon able to remove the 'tiredness' of
his receiver by application of suitable stimulants; application of
certain poisons, on the other hand, permanently abolished its
sensitiveness. Dr. Bose was thus amazed at the discovery that inorganic
matter was anything but inert, but that its particles were a thrill
under the action of multitudinous forces that were playing on it. The
lecturer was at this time constrained to choose whether to go on with
the practical applications of his work, the success of which appeared to
be assured, or to throw himself into a vortex of conflict for the
establishment of some truth the glimmerings of which he was then but
dimly beginning to perceive. It is very curious that the human mind is
sometimes so constituted that it rejects lines of least resistance in
favour of the more difficult path. Dr. Bose chose the more difficult
path, and entered into a phase of activity which was to test all his
strength.