1907.] Innervation of Antagonistic Muscles. 349 



hip, knee, and ankle. But the stimulation excites, in addition, gluteus 

 minimus and the anterior part of gluteus maximus. These two muscles 

 produce abduction and internal rotation of the thigh. Together with the 

 reflex contraction thus excited in these two muscles, the stimulation provokes 

 reflex inhibitory relaxation of adductor minor, adductor major, and quadratus 

 femoris. Of these three muscles, the two first are adductors of the thigh, 

 the two last are external rotators of the thigh ; all three are extensors of the 

 thigh. In this reflex, therefore, not only are extensors relaxed when flexors 

 contract, but adductors are relaxed when abductors contract, and external 

 rotators are relaxed when internal rotators contract. It would seem, 

 therefore, in this case that, as in the case of reciprocal innervation of 

 antagonistic lateral muscles of the eyeball, the reciprocal inhibition of the 

 muscles occurs even where the muscles are not by their tonus engaged in 

 counteracting gravity. — April 16, 1907.] 





