SECRETION PHYSIOLOGY. 351 



crease in lymph flow occurs, even when during stimulation of 

 the chorda the medulla is stimulated and the blood pressure 

 greatly increased." Brunton in commenting on this says : 

 " It appears to me that this circumstance can hardly be explained 

 otherwise than by supposing that atropin not only paralyses the 

 secretary fibres of the chorda, but acts upon the blood vessels 

 in such a manner as to greatly diminish or prevent the exuda- 

 tion which would usually take place from them into the lymph 

 spaces." 



Heidenhain-"^ supposed that lymph normally left the blood 

 vessels on account of the secretory pull exerted by the gland 

 cell. Atropine prevented lymph transudation by paralysis of 

 the secretory chorda nerve ends. He was led to this conclusion 

 chiefly by the following facts: (i) No more lymph normally 

 leaves the blood vessels than passes into the secretion, and (2) 

 if one inject 4.9% solution of sodium carbonate, 0.5% hydro- 

 chloric acid or quinine sulphate into Wharton's duct the chorda's 

 secretory power is annihilated, but on stimulation the gland 

 becomes highly cedematous. If, however, atropine be injected 

 into the blood before the chorda is stimulated and after the in- 

 jection of quinine into the duct no oedema ensues, however long 

 the nerve be stimulated. I have fullv confirmed these observa- 

 tions. The most probable interpretation of these facts, it seems 

 to me, is that quinine prevents the passage of fluid through the 

 glands by action on the gland cells, but does not prevent lymph 

 transudation. That atropine, however, acts directly on the 

 capillary wall, as well as upon the gland cell, in such fashion as 

 to prevent lymph transudation and secretion. 



A further indication that atropine checks lymph transudation is 

 the diminution in thoracic lymph flow after its injection. Tschir- 

 winsky^^ found that in morphinized animals thoracic lymph 

 flow fell from 3,75 cc. to 1.5 cc. and from 10 cc. to 4.2 cc. in a 

 given time. Atropine neutralized, also, the increased flow due 

 to curare. In the latter case it fell from 9 and 10 cc. to 2.5 

 and 5.3 cc. in a given time. As there is reason to believe 

 (Adami) that curare increases lymph transudation by direct 

 action on the capillary wall, the inhibiting action of atropine may 



