539 
origin of sudden heart-death (according to Hurine’s conception, which 
has been generally received, this death is caused by ventricular 
fibrillation). 
From my second communication it is evident that “gehaufte”’ 
ventricular extra-systoles may arise after direct excitation of the 
ventricle under conditions similar to those under which ventricular 
fibrillation is generated. Now the question arises whether “gehäufte”’ 
ventricular extra-systoles can also be brought about under the influ- 
ence of an excitation that originates from the auricles and reaches 
the ventricle directly after the conclusion of the refractory stage. In 
the curves of fig. 4 this question meets with an affirmative answer, 
they were taken with the string galvanometer 1'/, hours after the 
bleeding. A certain irregularity is exhibited by the tempo of the 
ventricular systoles, because not all sinus-impulses were followed by 
a ventricular systole. [ placed a P where the P-deflections of the 
electograms are visible in the curve. Now when measuring the 
intervals between the various P-deflections, we can easily realize 
the ventricular rhythm. | 
Intervals between the P-deflections. 
Time-units Time-units 
P'— Pp? = 26'/, PtP) = 26" |, 
PSP? _— 26°/, P— PRP —_— i eal 
BAE CS Tie P= Pe ay"), 
It appears, then, that the duration of the sinusperiods amounts to 
87/, time-units, so that between P! and P?, P? and P? and between 
P* and P* two P-deflections coincide every time with the ventri- 
cular electrograms. Between P* and P*, P® and P°, P* and P’ one 
P-deflection coincides every time with the ventricular electrograms. 
The P-R intervals lasted particularly long (on an average 7/, 
second). 
The stimulating electrode was placed against the auricles not far 
from the atrio-ventricular groove. 
During this registration the auricles receive twice an opening 
induction shock viz. at 1 and at 2. The moment at which the shock 
is administered, is marked by the deflection of the signal, interpolated 
in the primary circuit, upwards. The closing induction shocks were 
turned aside. At 1 the auricles receive an opening induction shock 
a little after the summit of the 7-deflection (in consequence of intru- 
ding current-loops the electrogram-curve shows a gap at the moment 
