Physiology. — "On the Alpha-automaticity of the . Autonomous 

 Organs.'' Bj Prof. H. Zavaardkmaker. 



(Communicated at the meeting of June 24, 1922). 



[n the organism there are some organs which perform automatic 

 movements and whose movements are continued also in parts that 

 have been isolated from the body. Without any outward stimulation, 

 simply by watching those parts we can follow up the continuation 

 of this action in its causal and conditional relatious. The type of 

 such an organ is the heai-t. It is the musclecells themselves that 

 pulsate, from the earliest embryonal existence up to deatli. Such a 

 pulsating heart-cell is comparatively a simple system of phases, ^) 

 which, if the nucleus is left out of consideration, is made up of the 

 following components: 1»^ 7 ions, H, OH, Na, K, Ca, HCÜ3, H,PO, 

 (resp. HPO4); 2'"^ 2 lipoids, cholesterin and lecithin; 3'^. a carbo- 

 hydrate, glycogen, which is alternately combined with phosphoric 

 acid and isolated from it again; 4"'. oxygen; ö^h . proteins and 

 water as a solvent. The absolute quantity of every component exerts, 

 according to the rules of the equilibrium of the phases, an influence 

 upon the whole. Influence may be exerted, a component may even 

 be given a certain concentration, by surrounding the cell with a 

 nuti'ient liquid com|)Osed for the purpose. In so doing substitution 

 appeared to be possible. Na may be replaced by Li or by highly 

 purified Cs ; K by all radio-active elements'); Ca by Sr and Ba; 

 lecithin by sodiumoleonate. Besides the absolute quantity also the 

 mutual relations cari-y weight, notably H : OH, H : HCO,, K : Ca. 

 Such interrelations must keep within certain bounds. To test this 

 various qualities of the function may be considered: first of all the 

 so-called tonus-condition, i.e. the degree of continued contraction 

 between the limits of atony and maximal tonus; next the excitability 

 in the several intervals of a period; lastly the automatic movement 

 itself. Now granting the conditions of the system to be so regulated 

 that the bounds we alluded to, have been kept in view, and each 



1) H. Zwaardemaker, Erg. des Physiol. Bd. 5. p. 135. 1906. 



2) H. ZwAARDEMAKEK, These Proceedings Vol. XIX, p. 633. (1916). 



