58 



CONTRIBUTION TO THE 



Experiment V. 2 Meidingers, rheochord 1970 ; ascending 

 current. 



The f under column C denotes that .... is just noticeable. 



We have thus seen that, as regards the fundamental phenomena, 

 there is a complete parallel between polarisation and the break- 

 contraction. But characteristics of secondary importance also show 

 remarkable agreement. 



Biedermann 1 found that when nerves are treated .with an alcoholic 

 solution of common salt, not only was the break-contraction stronger, 

 but also that it made its appearance with a strength of current 

 which before was quite inadequate to produce it. I also have found 

 that, when the nerve is treated with an alcoholic solution of common 

 salt, its susceptibility to polarisation is increased by half, as the 

 following experiments show. They were conducted after pre- 

 cisely the same method as my earlier experiments on internal polari- 

 sation. I used a O'6 % solution of common salt mixed with 10 / of 

 alcohol, and took the greatest care that the contact should be the 

 same both before and after the treatment with alcohol. 



1 Biedermann, loc. cit. p. 321. The retardation of the break-contraction discovered 

 by Biedermann at the same time does not for the present concern us. 



