THE GENERAL EFFECT OF STIMULATION 79 



long as they do not exceed a certain intensity. To the latter 

 group belong in general all the stronger adequate and inadequate 

 stimuli of prolonged duration ; such as extreme temperature, the 

 stronger electric currents, constant alteration in the supply of 

 food, water, oxygen, the prolonged or stronger influence of 

 extraneous chemical matter, etc. 



Considering the close correlation of the individual part pro- 

 cesses it would appear very strange, however, if a single one of 

 these could undergo an alteration of its rapidity without the 

 course of the rest of the processes being in the least influenced. 

 One cannot comprehend such absolute independence of a process 

 brought about by functional stimulation from all the other con- 

 stituent processes, particularly when this is of prolonged duration 

 and involves to a considerable extent the alterations in rapidity, 

 for the individual constituent processes are dependent in a 

 high degree upon the quantity of the particular chemical sub- 

 stances of which the living system is composed. The cycle of 

 the individual constituent processes of this system is determined 

 in the most delicate manner in its rapidity and extent, by the 

 relative quantities of the individual substances. Associated with 

 an alteration in the rapidity of an individual constituent process, 

 there would also be a relative alteration quantitatively of the 

 substances. And with the increase in the quantity of the disin- 

 tegration products, and also the increase of the substances for 

 their replacement, there would result, during this time, an altera- 

 tion in the amount of interaction of the molecules of the other 

 constituent processes, so that these processes secondarily suffer 

 an alteration in rapidity which is perceptible after long continued 

 involvement of the functional part of metabolism. 



In fact, in the previously mentioned case of the functional 

 stimulation of the muscle, the proof has been furnished that a 

 long-continued increase of the functional metabolism is fol- 

 lowed, although to a less extent, by an increase in the entire 

 cytoplastic metabolism. Argutinski showed this on himself in 

 1890 in Pfluger's laboratory. He found, namely, that after the 

 exertion of a long walk in a hilly district, a considerable increase 

 of nitrogen excretion in the urine took place, which extended 



