Warming Up. 21 



first.. The heavier weight, which in tlie first curve, before 

 the warming up, had been raised as high as the lighter weight 

 after it, couUl not be raised at all. Thi.s was done until we 

 were satisfied that the same stimulus to the nerve produced 

 less work after a time than at first and that the warming up 

 did not improve it. 



This is in line with another experiment where the weight 

 was pulled by electric stimulus applied to the nerve every 

 two seconds during a long period of time — 15 to 16 minutes. 

 The current was on one second and off one second. That 

 result may be seen on curve No. 18, Plate 1. The weight 

 was 525 grams and the current as strong as the subject could 

 endure. The pain decreased until the sensory nerves were 

 nearly or quite fatigued and failed to report any pain to the 

 brain, for after 10 minutes or so the current was scarcely 

 appreciable. In the curve there may be noticed an almost 

 rhythmical rise and fall. At first this would seem to contra- 

 dict Lombard's work and give a " recovery" by electric stimu- 

 lation. It w^ould look as if there was a change caused by 

 fatigue in the muscle or nerve endings. It might be due to 

 a clogging of the contractile substances which worked them- 

 selves clear again, or it might be due to an unconscious 

 assistance by voluntary effort. The curve is suggestive but 

 not decisive. There is no warming up but rather a loss of 

 power. Lombard's experiment was repeated here and his 

 results obtained. After voluntary fatigue the electric power 

 was used and then the voluntary, alternating, when it was 

 found that the power had returned though the muscle had 

 been worked all the time. To compare with that another 

 curve is shown, No. 16 (Plate 2), in which the same weight 

 was pulled voluntarily every other second and a distinct gain 

 of power or warming up appears. There was no fatigue but 

 a feeling of muscular exaltation in this abductor indicis at 

 the finish. This also shows that the warming up may be 

 gained without fatigue if moderate work is done at first. 



An attempt was made next to shut off the effect of in- 

 creased circulation, thinking that the warming up might be 

 caused by an extra blood supply to the muscle. An Esmarch's 



