2 LABORATORY MANUAL OF GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY 



intended for advanced students who may wish to make a special study of a 

 particular experiment. The writer will be glad to receive criticisms and 

 suggestions concerning any of the suggested procedures. In every case 

 directions have been revised while working with beginning students. 



No originality can be claimed for an elementary manual of this sort. 

 Many experiments have been taken from laboratory outlines developed 

 by Professor W. J. Crozier. For the muscle, heart and blood experiments 

 it is impossible to improve on the excellent directions given in Professor 

 W. B. Cannon's "Laboratory Course in Physiology" (Harvard University 

 Press). Several experiments have been adapted from Professor E. Newton 

 Harvey's "Laboratory Directions in General Physiology" (Princeton 

 University Press, Third Revised Edition, co-author A. K. Parpart, Henry 

 Holt and Co.) and Professor C. G. Rogers' "Laboratory Outlines in Com- 

 parative Physiology' ' (McGraw-Hill Book Co. , Inc.). The writer wishes 

 to acknowledge valuable suggestions received from Mr. E. J. Larson. 



References to the author's "Textbook of General Physiology" are 

 indicated by the word "Text" followed by the page number. 



I. ANIMAL BEHAVIOR 



1. Locomotion of the Earthworm. — Study the creeping movements on 

 a moist glass plate. Observe the alternating waves of contraction of the 

 circular and longitudinal muscles (Peristalsis). For general accounts of 

 coordination in the earthworm, cf. Baglioni, in Winterstein's "Handbuch 

 vergl. Physiol.," vol. 4, pp. 113-119, 123-126, 1913; Rogers, "Comp. 

 Physiol.," pp. 49I-5I5, 1927; von Buddenbrock, "Grundriss vergl. 

 Physiol.," pp. 221-226, 1928. 



2. Influence of the Brain on Locomotion. — Cut the ventral nerve cord 

 of a worm near the middle of length, injuring the body wall as little as 

 possible. Note carefully the effect, if any, on the coordination in loco- 

 motion. Cf. Rogers, "Comp. Physiol.," p. 512. Does the brain deter- 

 mine the coordination? In another worm, in the same spot, cut through 

 everything, EXCEPT the nerve cord, and compare the coordination. For 

 a description of nervous system see Prosser, Quart. Rev. Biol., 9: 181, 1934. 



3. Mechanics of Coordination (Friedlander's Experiment) (Pfliiger's 

 Arch., 58, 1894). — Cut an earthworm into two parts, and with a needle 

 sew them together again. How is coordination between the anterior 

 and posterior pieces now effected? (cf. von Buddenbrock, Grundriss der 

 vergl. Physiol., p. 222). Note that the contraction wave is not blocked. 

 For a critical appraisal of Friedlander's results cf. van Essen, Zeit. vergl. 

 Physiol., 15: 389, 1931; Maloeuf, Biol. Zentralblatt, 56: 379, 1936. 



4. Phototropism. — Examine the phototropic orientation of the earth- 

 worm creeping on the surface of moist filter paper when exposed to one 

 source of light. Cf. Parker, Am. J. Physiol., 5: 151, 1901. Repeat with 



