1909.] 



Alcohol, Ether, and Chloroform, etc. 



551 



in its results. I felt justified in making this choice by the results of experi- 

 ments made many years ago on direct and indirect excitability, and on the 

 junction between nerve and muscle.* 



i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i i i i—i 



Fig. 2.— August 21, 1908. Effect of Ether Solution at Strengths of 01, 0-15 and 0'2 m. 

 ( = 1, 15 and 2 per cent, by volume). 



' ■ 1 1 ' 1 1 1 1 1 i i i i i i i i i i i i ■ ■ . i ■ ■ i ■ ,. , , , , 



Fig. 3. — August 20, 1908. Comparison between the Effects of Chloroform in 1/1000 and 

 1/2000 dilution in normal saline (= m/80 and m/160) and of Ether in 1/100 dilution 

 (=m/10). 



In chloroform 1/1000 contractility is abolished in 5 minutes. 



1/2000 „ „ 12 „ 



* " Experiments and Observations relating to the Process of Fatigue and Recovery," 

 First Report, 'British Medical Journal,' July, 1885 ; Second Report, 'British Medical 

 Journal,' July, 1886. In the present connection the principal conclusion of the investi- 

 gation (carried out during my tenure of a research scholarship to the British Medical 

 Association) was to the effect that the junction between nerve and muscle is functional!}- 

 a weak link in the neuro-muscular chain, being the first to suffer in its transmitting 

 function in fatigue (by indirect excitation) in intoxications (" curarisation ") and in 

 pathological degeneration. 



2 E 2 



