Influence on American Physiology. 



29 



contraction and inhibition exhibited in peristalsis. In later papers 

 he suggested first the term crossed innervation borrowed from von 

 Basch, but subsequently adopted the designation of contrary in- 

 nervation as more applicable to the whole series of phenomena 

 which he was considering. This process he believed is universal in 

 its action — it is "manifest in all the functions of the animal body." 

 Moreover his experience and observation as a practising physic ian 

 led him to believe that "a disturbance of this law is a factor of more 

 or less importance in the pathogenesis of many disorders and di- 

 seases of the animal body." In this way he would explain in part 

 at least the muscular incoordination in tabes and the gastric crises 

 of that disease, as well as gastric and intestinal colic in general. If 

 the orderly sequence of a peristaltic wave is disturbed so that the 

 advancing wave of contraction meets a contracted instead of an 

 inhibited area conditions are present which may well bring about a 

 distension sufficient to account for the pain of colic. He gives 

 many other illustrations of pathological conditions which may 

 find a plausible explanation on the assumption of a disorder or dis- 

 harmony in the law of contrary innervation. How far Dr. Meltzer 

 was correct in the applications of his theory it is not possible to say. 

 In all probability some of the specific instances that he cites in 

 support of his views are amenable now to other explanations. But 

 it is a fact, I believe, that he was much in advance of his earlier 

 contemporaries in the emphasis he placed upon the significance of 

 inhibition in the general activities of the body. The story is far 

 from being told but it may be said that physiological thought 

 since 1883 has tended more and more toward some such general 

 conception of the role of inhibition as was in Meltzer's mind. For 

 him at least it was a rewarding theory, it played, as he expressed it , 

 a dominating part in all of his researches. One can not wholly ap- 

 preciate his work nor understand his position on controversial 

 pointsunless thisattitude is borne in mind. His theory.of shock for 

 example to which he held tenaciously was that "the various in- 

 juries which are capable of bringing on shock do so by favoring the 

 development of the inhibitory side of all the functions of the body." 

 There is a shifting of the normal balance toward the side of in- 

 hibition. 



