196 STUDIES IN ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGY: 



CHAPTER XV 

 GANGLION CELLS 



I HAVE stated elsewhere * that from an electrical point 

 of view some ganglion cells are condensers and some 

 storage cells, but this statement calls for elaboration. In 

 telegraphy and the brain, it is necessary to remember, 

 both sends and receives messages one of the functions of a 

 condenser is to maintain electrical equilibrium, and, when 

 required, to change the sign of current ; whereas the 

 function of a storage cell is to receive a charge and to hold 

 it until some disturbance of neuro- electrical equilibrium 

 calls for its delivery, either wholly or in part. In this 

 connection let us consider ganglion cells with a view to 

 attempting to differentiate the condenser pure and simple 

 from the storage cell. 



Condenser-ganglion cells should be studied more 

 especially in relation to the sympathetic system, the nodes 

 of Ranvier and the structure of the muscles, bearing in 

 mind not only the change of sign, i.e., from downward to 

 upward current, or from efferent to afferent, but control 

 of regularity of supply. Assuming there to be, for instance, 

 a flow of nerve-energy of a certain potential from the brain 

 (downwards) along, say, the sympathetic, the current 

 strength would vary with the resistances in circuit in 

 obedience to established laws, but it might be necessary to 

 regulate both current strength and sign at different points 

 of the circuit. Without condenser -action the current 

 would have to reach a junction and return by a nerve- wire, 

 * Electro-Pathology and Therapeutics. 



