276 



NATURE 



{Aug. 5, 1S75 



they should be turned upside down and read from right 

 to left," instead of from left to right. Are we to believe, 

 on the simple dictum of Dr. Galabin that inverted tracings, 

 as above explained, are developed ; that every elevation 

 in the apex cardiograph trace is the result of a movement 

 which is represented by a fairly proportionate fall in a 

 trace a little distance from that spot ; that every apical 

 propulsion is a lateral suction ? This may possibly be the 

 case, but it requires a considerable amount of proof before 

 it can be accepted as true. The relative duration, or, in 

 other words, the horizontal projections of the different 

 undulations, is not in favour of the assumption, which 

 seems to be based on an accidental similarity between 

 that apex trace and the reversed one from its neighbour- 

 hood. Till Dr. Galabin introduced his view, it has been 

 assumed that the negative trace differs from the other 

 positive trace in the fact that in the latter some of the 

 undulations are longer in the up than in the down stroke ; 

 whilst in the former the reverse is the case. There is need 

 for positive disproof of this explanation before the other 

 is even considered. 



Dr. Galabin concludes that the second main systolic 

 rise " corresponds in time to the maximum contraction of 

 the ventricle," and that it is due to the locomotion of the 

 heart, dependent on the consequent injection of the aorta 

 and the propulsion of the blood. This explanation 

 might be tenable Avere it not for the results obtained by 

 the employment of the haemodromometer of Chauveau, 

 tracings taken with which can be found in Marey's 

 " Circulation du Sang " (p. 273). These show that 

 there is a regurgitant current in the carotid arteries for 

 some appreciable period before the closure of the aortic 

 valve, which can only exist in connection with a similar 

 one in the ventricular cavity. It is the haemodromometer 

 trace which has led the writer of this article to lay more 

 than usual stress on the interval between the termination 

 of the cardiac systole and the moment of closure of the 

 aortic valves, termed by him the diaspasis. 



Dr. Galabin remarks, " Mr. Garrod attributes the ele- 

 vation d (the first main systolic rise), solely to the loco- 

 motion of the heart caused by the lengthening of the 

 aorta. The rise / (the second main rise) he considers to 

 intervene between the end of systole and the closure of 

 the aortic valves, and to be due to the initial relaxation of 

 the ventricle. It appears to be impossible that the relax- 

 ation of the ventricle, apart from its repletion, could pro- 

 duce an elevation in the curve except in those cases in 

 which its hardening produces a depression either at the 

 commencement or towards the conclusion of systole." 

 In the explanation here referred to the elevation under 

 consideration is, however, not supposed to be the result 

 o^ the relaxation of the muscular walls of the ventricles, 

 or to have anything to do with that phenomenon, but to 

 be caused by the reflux of blood from the aorta and pul- 

 monary artery into the ventricles which, when it has 

 attained a sufficient velocity, closes the semilunar valves. 



Dr. Galabin, by employing the stethoscope in conjunc- 

 tion with the cardiograph, watching the development of 

 the trace whilst listening to the heart-sounds, has been 

 able to satisfactorily verify the observation that the first 

 sound occurs during the primary up-stroke, and that the 

 instant at which the second sound is heard corresponds to 

 a point on the principal down-stroke, and before the 

 succeeding small and constant rise. This is further 

 verified by the superposition of the sphygmograph trace on 

 the cardiograph trace taken at the same time, a method 

 which has elsewhere been shown to lead to particularly 

 important theoretical results. 



No particular stress is laid by Dr. Galabin on the 

 peculiarities of the cardiograph trace associated with 

 ■ different rapidity of pulse and nothing else. The thorough 

 study of the subject necessitates this point being taken 

 into consideration, as is demonstrated by the great differ- 

 ences there are always found in the curves derived from 



the same individual when the heart beats at say 45 and 

 125 a minute. 



Most of the paper under consideration is devoted to 

 pathological points, especially mitral stenosis or contrac- 

 tion. With this we cannot here deal. One particularly 

 interesting tracing proves that in some extremely slow 

 pulses {e.g. twenty-five a minute) there may be an abortive 

 attempt towards an intermediate contraction, perceptible 

 in the cardiograph tracing, but not seen in that from the 

 arterial pulse. 



Whilst on this subject it may be mentioned that Dr. C. 

 Hanfield Jones has recently read a paper before the 

 Royal Society on reversed sphygmograph tracings, or 

 tracings in which the systole is represented by a fall in- 

 stead of a rise. These he explains on the assumption 

 that they are produced by the brass end-pad of Dr. San- 

 derson's modified instrument resting on the artery instead 

 of the spring-pad. This is no doubt the true cause in 

 many cases'; these tracings are, however, in our experi- 

 ence sometimes produced when Marey's unmodified instru- 

 ment is employed. They may sometimes result from the 

 fact that a curved artery is, during systole, rendered part 

 of a larger curve, and so slips from under the spring-pad 

 at that time. A. H. Garrod 



SIR JAMES KAY-SHUTTLE WORTH ON 

 SCIENTIFIC TRAINING 



ON the occasion of presenting the prizes to the suc- 

 cessful students at the Giggleswick Grammar School, 

 near Settle, on July 28, Sir J. Kay-Shuttleworth made 

 some forcible remarks on the above subject. Sir James 

 points out with so much wisdom the relative position which 

 science and literature ought to hold in the training of 

 youth, that his remarks deserve the serious attention of all 

 interested in education. Our columns constantly bear 

 witness to the increasing prominence given to science in 

 education, both at the higher schools and universities. 

 Sir James, after noticing this and other features in the 

 progress of the Giggleswick School, and referring to some 

 of the results of the training of the school, went on to say : — 

 "You will perceive that among them are proofs of 

 the influence of the practical teaching in natural science 

 in opening a career to our pupils in the universities. In 

 the growth of any institution on a new basis, time must be 

 allowed for its development. Difficulties will be encoun- 

 tered in discipUne, in domestic management, and in the 

 attainment of the ideal to which its course of studies is 

 expected to rise. Yet it is well to keep that ideal closely 

 in view as the goal of all efforts ; to retain a firm hold on 

 the principles of action, and while confessing the length 

 and the arduous character of the way, to press forward, 

 undismayed by any partial failure, towards the summit of 

 our hopes. I find in the examination papers a continu- 

 ally higher standard. They embrace a wide range of 

 studies. But it must not be supposed that we are so pre- 

 sumptuous as to expect that even the elite of the school 

 could attain a high degree in the whole range of these 

 studies. No error could be more fatal than that they 

 should be obligatory on all our pupils. Indeed, we must, 

 in the first place, point out that in consideration of the 

 prominence given to modern languages and to practical 

 instruction in natural science, Greek is not among the 

 subjects comprised in the scheme of the school, though it 

 will be taught to all boys preparing for the universities, 

 or for any of the public examinations. To determine 

 how best the faculties of those not gifted with average 

 energy and capacity can be developed requires a delicate 

 and thoughtful discrimination. But the curriculum is 

 open to boys in proportion to the mental and physical 

 vigour which they bring to the task. I have said that 

 Greek is not one of the subjects of instruction made obli- 

 gatory by the scheme, and the reasons for this will become 

 more apparent as I proceed, but among these reasons is 



