THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY 

 SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



Vol. Vll, No. 12J JUNE, 1913. [v"o".TvirN 



ERIKS 

 O 13 



THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL UPON THE REFLEX 

 ACTION OF SOME CUTANEOUS SENSE ORGANS IN 

 THE FROG. 



BY IDA H. HYDE, RUTH SPRAY, AND IRENE HOWAT. 



With one tPXt figure. 



(From tlie Physiolojrical Laboratory of tlie University of Kansas.) 



THE following questions form the basis of the present re- . 

 search : How soon after administering a minimal and 

 and also stronger dose of alcohol does a change in reflex 

 time appear? How long does the change last? When do the 

 reflex actions cease? For how long a period are they absent? 

 When does the reflex time become normal again? The experi- 

 ments were conducted on both spring and normal frogs of the 

 species Rana esculenta and pipiens that were secured from a 

 pond near by. They weighed from 25 to 60 grams and po.5- 

 sessed well-marked piginent spots. During the whole period 

 of experimentation the frogs were kept in moist moss in high 

 glass jars, the sides of which were covered with dark paper. 



Careful testing of most of the pigment spots revealed the 

 fact that they may be regarded as peripheral sensory organs. 

 Those on the head are innervated by branches from the cranial 

 nerves, and those on the trunk and legs by spinal nerves. 

 Moreover, some of these spots display a fairly constant reflex 

 time to a definite stimulus when the frog is in a good con- 

 dition, and others are peculiarly irritable. The same spot also 

 varies more or less in its reaction time at different times of the 

 day; so that each one may be said to have its own period of 



Received for publication .\pril 23, 1913. 



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