Drs. G. F. Yeo and T. Cash. 



Striking a mean between the light and heavy weight we should 

 obtain the figures — for the direct '0144", and for the indirect '0187'', 

 both of which approximate closely to the experimental measurements 

 of the middle weight. 



If we tabulate, for increasing weights, the actual increase of the 

 latencies, so that the prolongation for each increment may be readily 

 recognised, we find in i^q" : — 



Weight increat 



10 grms. 

 20 

 30 

 40 

 50 

 60 

 70 

 80 

 90 

 100 



Latency increase. 



Muscle. 

 25 

 10 

 05 

 15 

 05 

 05 

 10 

 30 

 07 

 08 



1-20 



•30 

 •05 

 •15 

 •15 

 •05 

 ■05 

 •05 

 •10 

 •10 

 •25 



1-25 



The greatest difference appears to obtain at the extremes of the 

 scale, i.e., when the weight is first applied, and when it is beginning 

 to be too severe for the muscle, whilst in the middle part of the 

 series the variations are slighter and more uniform in character. If 

 we glance at the other two columns in Table I, we see that this middle 

 part contains the shortest curves exhibiting altitudes midway between 

 those of the extremes. The fact established by Marey,* that a muscle 

 hindered by the weight applied to it from reaching its maximum of 

 contraction is slower in its relaxation than its less weighted neigh- 

 bour, accounts for the long low curve under 100 grms. 



As regards the comparison between the muscle stimulated directly 

 and indirectly, we may state from our results, that which previous con- 

 sideration had convinced us must be the case, viz. : — 



At ordinary room temperature, the increase of latency bears the 

 same proportion to the increase of free burden in direct as in indirect 

 stimulation. 



2. It has been alledged that curare increases the latency, and as we 

 desired to use the curarised muscle in certain of our experiments, we 

 made comparative observations with the result of convincing ourselves 

 that as a rule no such prolongation occurs ; but that the course of 

 latency of the curarised and of the non-curarised muscle, both stimu- 



" Du Mouvement dans les Fonctions de la Vie," 1868, p. 363. 



