48 



THE PHYSIOLOGY OF MUSCLE AND NERVE. 



Under these conditions the contractions become less and less ex- 

 tensive as fatigue comes on, and finally, with the strongest voluntary 



Fig. 23. Mosso's ergograph : c is the carriage moving to and fro on runners by means 

 of the cord d, which passes from the carriage to a holder attached to the last two phalanges 

 of the middle finger (the adjoining fingers are held in place by clamps) ; p, the writing point 

 of the carriage, c, which makes the record of its movements on the kymographion ; w, the 

 weight to be lifted. 



Fig. 24. Normal fatigue curve of the flexors of the middle finger of right hand. Weignt 

 3 kilograms, contractions at intervals of two seconds. (Maggiora.) 



effort, the contraction of the muscles is insufficient to lift the weight. 

 In this way a record is obtained such as is shown in Fig. 24. 



