( 276 ) 



cordis are conducted by meauo of imp >larizable electrodes to the 

 string-galvanomerer with permanent magnet. The string-galvanometer 



is fed with 4 volt.: the string-tension is considerable and amounts 

 to 7 out of the 60 lines of division. 



The heart pulsates quietly and vigorously. Some seconds after the 

 beginning of the registration 3 gutturae of a 1 ° „ solution of digi- 

 taleine in 0.9% Na CI are dripped on the heart. At once the heart 

 begins to read on this with a slight acceleration in its pulsation 

 whilst the tonus of atrium and ventricle decrease, but shortly after 

 increase considerably. The electrocardiogram, first becoming smaller, 

 soon increases considerably in size, while the rest-position of the 

 string in the interval of the heart-contraction moves to one side. 

 This is shown by tig. 5. Every second minute the dripping with 

 digitaleine is repealed, without every time causing anew the electric 

 changes mentioned. Gradually the contractions of atrium and ventricle 

 grow smaller, whilst the tonus of both increases considerably. A 

 quarter of an hour after the first poisoning the heart stands com- 

 pletely still in systole, as appears from the registration and from 

 the examination of the heart. The electrocardiogram quietly continues 

 pulsating and shows large and small interchanging fluctuations, as 

 is seen in tig. • >. After the lapse of live minutes also the electro- 

 cardic pulsations grow smaller and half an hour after the lirst 

 poisoning they have entirely stopped. Also Fano and Fayod ') make 

 mention of electric changes in the heart of Emys, stopping under 

 digital is- poison ing. 



Finally we may mention as a proof for the independence of the 

 electrocardiogram the total discongruity between the electric pheno- 

 menon and the form-cardiogram, as it appears in the treatment of 

 the heart only, or of the whole trial-animal with toxic materials, 

 though it be in this case impossible to bring about a complete rest of 

 atrium and ventricle. Similar discongruities show themselves c. g. 

 in dripping the heart with antiarine, jiitras strychnini, sulfas atropini ; 

 by injecting nit ras strychnini, sulfas atropini and colfe'inum info the 

 veins of the trial-animal; further by exposing the animal in tolo to 

 vapours of chloroform, ether and acetic acid. 



It is not only the whole heart that shows these discongruities and 

 the peculiar, more or less typical reactions on the applied materials, 

 but also separate parts of the heart may offer such phenomena, as 

 appeared to me when examining the cut-out ventricle of the heart 

 of an eel under the application of antiarine and digitaleine. 



'i Fano et Fayod. De quelques rapports entre les propriétés électriques <l<-s 

 oreilettes du coeur. Arcliiv. ital. de lJiolu^ie Tome IX 1888. 



