Experiments made with a view to ascertain the principle on which the action of the heart depends, and the relation which subsists between that organ and the nervous system / by A.P. Wilson Philip.

  • Philip, Alexander Philip Wilson, 1770-1847.
Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments made with a view to ascertain the principle on which the action of the heart depends, and the relation which subsists between that organ and the nervous system / by A.P. Wilson Philip. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    the effect on the heart of stimuli so applied to the brain and spinal marrow, as not to excite any of the muscles of volun- tary motion, whose action, either by throwing more blood towards the heart, or in some other way influencing its action, prevents our judging of the effect of the stimulus. Exp. ia. A rabbit was deprived of sensation and voluntary motion by a blow on the occiput, the action of the heart sup- ported by artificial respiration, and the brain and cervical part of the spinal marrow laid bare. The thorax was now opened, and the action of the heart, which beat with strength and re- gularity, observed. Spirit of wine was then applied to the spinal marrow, and a greatly increased action of the heart was the consequence. It was afterwards applied to the brain with the same effect. The increase of motion was immediate and decided in both cases. We could not perceive that it was more in the one case than the other. Exp. 13. The foregoing experiment was repeated, with the difference, that the whole of the spinal marrow was laid bare. The motion of the heart was nearly, if not quite, as much in- fluenced by the application of the stimulus to the dorsal, as to the cervical portion of the spinal marrow; but it was very little influenced by its application to the lumbar portion. Exp. 14. In this experiment, only that part of the brain which occupies the anterior part of the head was laid bare. The rabbit in other respects was prepared in the same way as in the preceding experiments. The spirit of wine applied to this part of the brain, produced as decided an effect on the motion of the heart as in those experiments. The spirit of wine was washed off, and a watery solution, first of opium, then of tobacco, applied, with the effect of an increase, but a