454 PHYSIOLOGY CHAP. 



cause or conditions, and endeavour to reconstruct the process by 

 which this absolute suspension of the renal secretion takes place. 



Vulpian held that hysterical oliguria was reflex in origin, and 

 caused by excitation of the renal vaso-constrictor fibres of the 

 splanchnics, which produces spasm of the renal arteries. But he 

 believed this explanation to be insufficient for hysterical anuria 

 (which may last for a very long time), and invoked the subsidiary 

 hypothesis of a reflex inhibition of secretion, capable of producing 

 arrest of functional work in the epithelia of the renal tubules. 

 Spallitta gave the same explanation of hysterical anuria. 



To us this theory seems inadequate and improbable. It is 

 inadequate because in anuria the secretory function is suspended 

 not only in the renal tubules, but in the glomeruli as well ; im- 

 probable when we consider that the hypothesis of specific nerves 

 which directly inhibit renal secretion is contrary to all analogy. 

 We have no data showing the existence of trophic nerves to inhibit 

 secretion, while the existence of trophic secretory nerves, i.e. nerves 

 which on excitation provoke a copious secretory activity of the 

 epithelia, while their paralysis suspends it absolutely, is a matter 

 of classical demonstration, particularly for the salivary and gastric 

 secretions. 



Long-continued anuria is one of the phenomena that make up 

 the syndrome of hysterical neurosis : there can be no doubt as to 

 its nervous origin. But while it is impossible to explain it as an 

 effect of activity of specific inhibitory nerves (which is always of 

 very brief duration), it is on the contrary easily interpreted as the 

 consequence of a paralysis of specific secretory nerves, hysterical 

 paralysis having been known to last for months and even years, 

 and to cease suddenly for some slight or unknown reason. 

 Admitting this as the only possible theory of hysterical anuria, 

 it is remarkable that such a paralysis of the peripheral 

 sympathetic centres and secretory nerve fibres of the complex 

 renal organ should be capable of suspending not only the specific 

 function of the tubular epithelia, but also that of the glomeruli, 

 which is in no way specific. This is a new and weighty argument 

 to add to those of Galeotti and De Bonis, against that theory by 

 which the glomerular function is conceived as a merely physical 

 process of filtration. 



The mechanical conditions of circulation in the glomeruli, 

 which evidently continue even after the supposed paralysis of 

 the secretory nerves, are inadequate to produce any excretion 

 of secretory fluid through their walls. This fact should be 

 remembered in endeavouring to explain why artificial circulation 

 through an excised kidney is not sufficient to produce a formation 

 of normal urine, even when urea is added to the blood circulated 

 (see p. 445). 



VII. To complete the physiological study of the kidney as an 



