Chap, iv.] THE VASCULAR MECHANISM. 



209 



contents may be discharged before the actual systole ends ; but 

 the observations and arguments which we have just related, 

 shew that such an event must be regarded as of exceptional, and 

 not, as has been contended, of normal occurrence. 



Of the smaller secondary variations visible on the systolic 

 plateau, conspicuous in some curves (4, 5, 6, 7 in Fig. 46), various 

 explanations have been given. Into the discussion of these we 

 cannot enter here ; we may however say that in many observations, 

 which we may probably regard as correct, these secondary markings 

 are identical in the curves of ventricular pressure, of aortic pressure 

 and of the cardiac impulse, or of the change in the outward form 

 of the heart ; the events which cause them tell in the same way 

 on all three. 



Systole 



Diastole 



Fig 



54. Diagram of Ventricular and Aortic Pressure and of the 

 Cardiac Impulse. Hurthle. 



We give in Fig. 54 a diagram of the cardiac events according 



to the exposition which we have just made. The curves previously 



given were copies of actual curves obtained by experiment ; this 



is a constructed diagram. The upper curve is the curve of the 



cardiac impulse. The middle curve is the curve of pressure in the 



14 



