The Heart. 61 



in conclusion we must briefly notice the results of Gaskell's 

 profoundly philosophic work in this direction. According 

 to this authority the vagus is the trophic nerve of the heart ; 

 it excites processes of repair (anabolism), builds up the 

 muscular tissue, and is, in fact, the nutrient nerve to this 

 organ ; the sympathetic, on the other hand, excites pro- 

 cesses of decomposition or destruction (katabolism), in just 

 the same way as a motor nerve passing to muscle excites 

 katabolic processes in the muscle elements as the result of 

 work. If we carefully consider this theory in conjunction 

 with what we have previously stated respecting the opposite 

 action of the vagus and sympathetic, we can see that it 

 receives every support. 



