86 Dr. A. D. Waller. Influence of Acids and Alkalis 



Less commonly, and by a slighter degree of action of C0 2 , the A 

 current may be increased, while as the most pronounced degree of 

 action of C0 2 the K current may be diminished. 



In order of gravity the effects are : 



1. Augmentation of A. 

 2 f Diminution of A. 



' 1 Augmentation of K. 

 3. Diminution of K. 



The second being the usual and typical result, the first and third 

 being less frequently observed. 



Prolonged tetanisation (five minutes) modifies the A and K currents 

 in a similar direction, causing a diminution (but sometimes an aug- 

 mentation) of the A current and an augmentation (nearly always) of 

 the K current (2424). 



1 



FiQ. 11. — Effect of tetanisation on A and K (2424). 



Thus it will be seen that the two groups of results, although not 

 absolutely coincident, are in reasonable agreement, the two points of 

 difference being that an augmentation of the A current has been 

 more frequent by tetanisation than by C0 2 ; while a diminution 

 of the K current, rarely observed in consequence of the full action 

 of C0 2 , has been still more rare (once only, and that not very 

 markedly, 2287) in consequence of tetanisation. 



Of these several effects the most characteristic has been the- 

 augmentation of K (2424, fig. 11) with a consequent diminution of 

 the quotient A/K. And although — in correspondence with the not 

 infrequent augmentation of A, there has been not infrequently an 

 augmentation of A/K — this latter augmentation has generally been 

 slight or even doubtful as compared with its opposite. I have been 

 led to admit diminution of A/K as typical (2424, fig. 11, 2425 

 2427), and a distinct augmentation of A/K as exceptional (2387, 

 2388, 2393) or doubtful. (A similar augmentation of A/K by pre- 

 dominant augmentation of A has not hitherto come under my 

 observation in consequence of the action of C0 2 .) 



