THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM 345 



reported following the ingestion of a glass of ice water 

 acting on the stomach as a traumatism. Death by stop- 

 page of the heart, following certain painful syndromes, 

 such as, hepathic colic has also occurred. 



A contusion of the solar plexus is only occasionally 

 followed by slowing of the pulse 



These facts can be compared to the modifications of the 

 radial pulse following stimulation of the abdominal 

 sympathetic (solar plexus and nerve endings), described 

 by Andre Thomas and J. Ch. Roux under the name of the 

 "hypotensive coeliac reflex." The direct stimulation of 

 the solar plexus by moderate compression, even painless, 

 causes a marked weakening of the pulse, particularly in 

 neurasthenics, of various sorts. The same reflex is ob- 

 served, but in a less marked degree, in patients suffering 

 from organic affections of the gastro-intestinal tract, fol- 

 lowing the exploration of the inflamed and painful viscera. 



GASTRIC CRISIS. 



All gastric crises may be considered as the expression 

 of a crisis of hyperesthesia of the solar plexus, leaving 

 out of consideration the possible etiological factor. 



Outside of the gastric crisis of tabes it is possible to 

 find gastric crisis following herpes (Camus and Baufle). 



Ulcers of the lesser curvature manifest themselves some- 

 times by paroxysmal pains identical, from a clinical point 

 of view, to the crisis of tabes. (Tabeform crisis studied by 

 Babiriski and Enriquez). 



The starting point of the pain reflex is at the level of 

 the fibres or fibre ganglion lesion in tabes, while in ulcer 

 the starting point is at the level of the stomach and is 

 brought about by alterations of the fibres of the sympa- 

 thetic and vagus. 



