178 STUDIES IN ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGY: 



or protrusions at the point of attachment of the muscles, 

 over which the tendon passes, as over a reel, thus grasping 

 the bone at a favourable angle ; or, in other cases, it is 

 found that cartilaginous or bony thickenings exist in the 

 tendon itself (so-called sesamoid bones), which act in the 

 same way. The largest of these sesamoid bones is that in 

 the knee, which, inserted in the powerful tendon of the 

 front muscle of the upper thigh, gives a more favourable 

 direction to the attachment of this tendon than there 

 would otherwise be." (Rosenthal.) 



I have quoted at considerable length from Professor 

 Rosenthal, but his explanation of the connection of muscles 

 with bones is so lucidly given, that while I may be in need 

 of his forgiveness I owe no apology to my readers for the 

 digression. The measure of my offence is, however, not 

 ended. So far we have been dealing with voluntary 

 muscle. It now remains to examine plain muscle in respect 

 of which physiological works in general are comparatively 

 silent. We are told that they are longitudinally but not 

 transversely striated, and I cannot reconcile this with 

 " shortening and broadening " due to the electrical law of 

 attraction and repulsion. This, however, we will consider 

 in its proper place. 



RESPONSE OF HUMAN MUSCLES AND NERVES 

 TO ELECTRICAL STIMULATION 



As this has an important bearing upon the theoretical 

 explanation I have so far given of the electro-physiology 

 of the motor apparatus, it may be permissible to quote 

 and comment upon Halliburton. He says : " When the 

 nutrition of the nerves is impaired much stronger currents 

 of both the induced and constant kinds are necessary to 

 evoke muscular contractions than in the normal state." 



If for " nutrition " we read " conductivity " comment 

 is unnecessary. 



