•340 REPORT — 1875. 



resent investigations have concerned the question of the innervation of the 

 small intestine with regard primarily to its secretion, but also to its nutri- 

 tion, its blood supply, and its movements. We had already ascertained that 

 the paralytic profuse secretion, after division of the mesenteric nerves, which 

 was first observed by Moreau in dogs and rabbits, also occurs in the case of 

 cats. 



It remained to ascertain the centre and the channel of the inhibitory 

 influence which, according to the best-known analogy, that of the sub- 

 maxillary gland, must be supposed to control, imder normal conditions, the 

 intraparietal vasomotor and secretory ganglia of the small intestine. 



Before relating our own experiments, we may shortly refer to the results 

 obtained by previous observers. 



The first facts we have been able to find which bear on the question were 

 observed as long ago as 1853 by Ludwig and Haffter *, who ascertained that 

 after dividing the great splanchnic nerves there was no important alteration 

 in the intestinal secretion, although a slightly increased degree of moisture 

 of the mucous membrane in the upper part of the small intestine could 

 occasionally be remarked ; nor were the peristaltic movements either stopped 

 or accelerated. 



In 1856 Samuel published the results of experiments in which he had 

 extirpated the solar plexus in dogs, cats, and rabbits. He observed diarrhoea 

 in some cases ; and after death (which usually occurred between 12 and 24 

 hours) found the upper part of the intestine hypersemic, with occasional 

 ecchymoses and shedding of epithelium. The lower half was i;nafi"ected ; the 

 mucous membrane moist throughout. 



In the same year Pincus performed similar experiments on dogs, cats, and 

 rabbits. He also found that after as complete destruction as possible of the 

 solar 2)lexus, the mucous membrane of the upper half of the small intestine 

 was excessively hypersemic, with extravasations of blood and ulcerations. 

 This observer noticed that hyperaemia of the stomach and duodenum followed 

 section of the vagi. On dividing the cord of the sympathetic on the right 

 side in four places below the diaphragm, he found the mucous membrane of 

 the stomach, small intestine, and caecum very hypersemic, with slight hsemor- 

 rhage and ulceration, and also extravasation of blood among the muscles of 

 the right thigh. The same operation on the left side produced similar, but 

 less marked eifects. Lastly, the abdominal gangliated cord was divided on 

 both sides, and the solar plexus excised. Still more extensive hypersemia, 

 submucous ecchymoses, and haemorrhage into the intestine, with " disappear- 

 ance of whole pieces of mucous membrane," were the result. Uuhke Samuel, 

 Pincus did not observe any increased secretion whatever from the intestinal 

 mucous membrane. 



Budge, in 1860, found that extirpation of the semilunar ganglia in rabbits 

 produced increased fluidity of the faeces in the caecum and colon. N'o men- 

 tion, however, is made of any thing approaching to paralytic secretion in the 

 small intestine. 



In the same year Schiff also observed that, after extirpation of the solar 

 plexus in two cats, the faeces appeared somewhat softer and moister than in 

 healthy animals. He also found that application of an induced current to 

 the divided splanchnics was followed by contraction of the vessels of the 

 stomach and intestine, and anaemia of the chylopoietic viscera, including the 

 spleen, which disappeared on removing the stimulus and returned on re- 

 applying it. 



* HaflPter, Henle u. Pfeuffer's Zeitsch. n. F. iv. 3. Samuel, Wien. med. Wochenschr. 

 30. 1856. 



