Chapter III 



The Movements of the Arteries as Seen 

 in Animal Experimentation 



IN CONNECTION with the movements of the 

 heart one may observe these facts regarding 

 the movements and pulses of the arteries; 



1. At the instant the heart contracts, in systole, 

 and strikes the breast, the arteries dilate, give a 

 pulsation, and are distended." Also, when the right 

 ventricle contracts and expels its content of blood, 

 the pulmonary artery beats and is dilated along with 

 the other arteries of the body. 



2. When the left ventricle stops beating or con- 

 tracting, the pulsations in the arteries cease, or the 

 contractions being weak, the pulse in the arteries is 

 scarcely perceptible. A similar cessation of the 

 pulse in the pulmonary artery occurs when the right 

 ventricle stops. 



3. If any artery be cut or punctured, the blood 

 spurts forcibly from the wound when the left ven- 

 tricle contracts. Likewise, if the pulmonary artery 

 is cut, blood vigorously squirts out when the right 

 ventricle contracts. 



In fishes, also, if the blood vessel leading from 

 the heart to the gills is cut open, the blood will be 

 seen to spurt out when the heart contracts. 



[34] 



