PHENOMENA OF MUSCLE AND NERVE. 



303 



There can therefore le no doubt that in nerve also the + intrapolar 

 after-current is a phenomenon connected with the aneletrotonic state. 



The text shows that exceptions to this rule sometimes occur, as, 

 for instance, when strong 1 currents have been employed, in which 

 case the + phase appears not only with currents directed from 

 living- to dead tissue, but also with those directed from dead to 

 living ; but this is not perplexing, for } as I have repeatedly stated 

 in former communications, nerve cannot be stretched to such a 

 degree as to get rid of the wavy form of its fibres, hence, with 

 currents directed through its length, there must be multiple anodes 

 and kathodes. 



Biedermann x has recently drawn attention to the fact that, under 

 exactly similar conditions, currents directed from dead to living 

 tissue must in part enter the fibres in their length instead of their 

 cross-section owing to unavoidable bends, etc. Muscle can be much 

 more stretched without risk. In spite of this I hold the question 

 as not finally decided whether or no anelectrotonus fails in the case 

 of the strongest currents which are directed strictly from dead to 

 living tissue ; it involves principles of great importance and should 

 be approached by special experiment. 



1 ' Sitzungsber. d. Wiener Acad.,' Part 3, vol. Ixxxv. p. 144. 



