42 CORA SENNER WINKIN 



rington (121), (124). In view of the very high level of the cord in which 

 a lesion must fall before it can definitely intercept the connections 

 between the medulla and the splanchnic effectors, there is a possibility 

 that -the agency concerned in this recovery is none other than the 

 splanchnic constrictors still in functional continuity with the brain stem. 



Four early experiments were carried out with Doctor Pike's coopera- 

 tion in which a transection in the upper levels of the spinal cord was 

 done aseptically, the animal allowed to recover' and then the anemic 

 response tested. In two cats the transection was done at the level of 

 the 2nd thoracic. One animal died within 24 hours before the blood 

 pressure could be tested; the other lived 5 days and was then subjected 

 to the test of occlusion. Blood pressure, however, was very low, the 

 bulbar responses failed immediately and no rise was elicitable. Cat 

 63, however, in which section at the 3rd thoracic was made, recovered 

 fully and when tested a week later showed a level of blood pressure of 

 120 mm. and an anemic increment of 50 mm. in the first occlusion. 

 Cat 64 with a section at the 6th thoracic was tested 2 days later. Con- 

 trol level of blood pressure was 80 mm. The anemic increment of the 

 first occlusion was 45 mm. 



This problem was subsequently taken up by Miss Yates under Doc- 

 tor Pike's direction, and has been reported on in detail in an earlier 

 issue of this Journal. Miss Yates (36) found that when one or two 

 segments of the thoracic region only are left intact there is a recovery 

 of blood pressure to an adequate level, and vigorous anemic or asphyx- 

 ial response is readily elicitable. This recovery is attributable to those 

 medullary cells still in connection with the peripheral splanchnic 

 neurones. 



It was on the evidence of Goltz's experiments that Langley applied 

 the name "autonomic" to those peripheral mechanisms supplied by 

 ganglionic connection outside the nervous system which he thought 

 could function independently of the brain. The physiological evidence 

 that is now accumulating would gravely discredit this autonomy, and 

 would tend to place the sympathetic responses in the same category as 

 all others. This is of particular importance in connection with the 

 late appearance of the adrenal effect in cerebral occlusion, even after 

 the reflexes are no longer elicitable. However late its appearance, and 

 however independent of any parallel nervous activity, this effect cer- 

 tainly cannot be aroused unless the splanchnic fibers themselves have 

 been previously stimulated. When the splanchnic fibers are no longer 

 excitable because of an anatomical lesion the adrenal effect never 

 appears.' 



