1084 . 
We see that with the restoration of the metabolic condition of 
the heartmuscle the variations indicated above have for the greater 
part regressed again. I call only the attention to the shorter duration 
of the R-oscillation. The a-v-interval is even again shorter than before’ 
the poisoning. Slackening of rhythm promotes shortening, poisoning 
lengthening of this interval. 
Directly after the halving shortening prevails. 
35 minutes after the reproduction of Fig. 4 I obtain representation 
Fig. 5. The R-branch has widened and split again, the a-v-interval 
has increased, and likewise the period of the latent irritation. 
If now, in analogy with the duration of the action-currents for 
the striped muscles, we see in the duration of the R-oscillation a 
measure for the speed of the transmission of stimulation in the heart 
musele. then the variation of the duration of the R-oscillation becomes 
immediately intelligible. Through the poisoning the speed of the 
transmission of stimulation decreases, after the halving it improves 
again in the beginning, when the poisoning continues, the transmission 
falls afterwards off again into this halved rhythm. 
We saw before, that the irritability of the heart muscle sustains 
the same oscillations during the poisoning and the halving-process. 
This canvot be otherwise, for transmission of stimulation means, that 
a level that is in irritation influences an adjacent level. The 
speed with which this influence can take place depends upon the 
irritability. . 
In a following period of the poisoning the basis and the point 
of the ventricle palpitate alternatively stronger (Vide Fig. 6). The 
a-v-time has increased again. 
If now 25 minutes later I make another reproduction (vide Fig. 7) 
every 3'¢ systole has fallen out. In Fig. 7 we see consequently a 
bigeminusgroup, the point and the basis of which pulsate alternatively. 
With the naked eye this could be distinetly observed. We see after 
the long pause a short a-v-interval, after a short pause a long 
a-v-interval. On my suspension-curves of heart-bigeminy and -trigeminy, 
after veratrine-poisoning, of which I possess a great number, the 
increase of the a-v-interval in the bi- and trigeminus- groups can be 
observed. As an example I give Fig. 8. 
I have asked myself if we have here a strict, legal proportion. 
Is the transmission of stimulation after a long pause always better 
than after a short one? 
With a quite different intention I have now made an extensive 
investigation concerning the potential differences occurring in the 
heart at extra-systoles. In a series of experiments I irritated the 
