in ELECTRICAL EXCITATION OF MUSCLE 275 



thrown into pronounced undulation. Invariably, however, the 

 wave begins in the immediate proximity of the anodic end of the 

 muscle, and spreads thence in marked currents over the entire 

 muscle. This points to a very close relation between the 

 above-described persistent anodic closure contraction and the 

 " galvanic wave," and it can hardly be fallacious to regard both 

 phenomena as two different symptoms of one and the same 

 change in the muscle. In this connection it is to be noted 

 that Hermann (I.e. p. 602) occasionally received the impression 

 that on opening the circuit "a short ripple or wave proceeded 

 towards the anode i.e. in the opposite direction to the character- 

 istic phenomenon." Death or chemical change at the end of the 

 muscle produced as little effect upon the galvanic wave as upon 

 the persistent anodic closure contraction. If this last is admitted 

 to be a manifestation of excitation depending upon the effectuation 

 of secondary electrode points in the continuity of the muscle 

 traversed by the current, the galvanic wave can hardly be 

 regarded as different. In view of these results, the theory 

 supported mainly by Jendrassik (40) and Regeczy (41) that the 

 galvanic wave is principally due to the changes of form and 

 place which the canaliculi containing blood and lymph in the 

 entire muscle (or any part of it which consists of several bundles) 

 undergo in consequence of the endosmotic transference of fluid 

 particles within them, caused by the constant current, must be 

 regarded as sufficiently contradicted, especially as since Her- 

 mann's researches there can be no doubt as to the active 

 co-operation of the living and excitable muscle-fibres. Hermann's 

 explanation (I.e.) of the galvanic wave, on the other hand, presents 

 no objections. He starts from the unquestionably correct 

 assumption that with even the strictest longitudinal excitation of 

 a muscle with parallel fibres, " the majority of fibres have not 

 merely one anodic and one kathodic point, corresponding with the 

 electrodes of the entire muscle, but a great number of points of 

 entrance and exit, due to the oblique or transverse course of the 

 lines of current to single points of the fibres, especially where 

 the latter are accidentally crumpled together." Strong currents 

 set up excitation at each of the secondary kathodic points, by 

 which a contraction swelling is produced, that spreads slowly 

 towards the kathode. " The origin and progress of the swelling 

 makes new changes and new irregularities between the lines of 



