ALCOHOLS AND FATIGUE PROCESSES 
169 
parent as indicated by a drop in the excursion of the writing 
point. The second contracture phase is similar in form and dur- 
ation to that produced by alcohol of great strength, fatigue re- 
sulting in this case in about one and three-quarters minutes. 
Alcohol of 29.1 vol. per cent, as typically shown in figure 3, is 
decidedly stimulating during the initial contractions, but produces 
rapid fatigue once the secondary contracture phase is entered 
upon, the fatigue process lasting only one and one-half minutes. 
Of all the concentrations tried with this alcohol it would seem 
from the records obtained that 20.8 vol. per cent gives the best 
combination of initial stimulation followed by rapid fatigue indi- 
cating toxicity, and alcohol of approximately this concentration 
may perhaps be considered as about on the border, possessing 
favorable penetrating qualities. The muscle reached its final 
contracture phase in about two and a quarter minutes and pro- 
duced an interesting curve as shown in figure 4. 
Methyl alcohol of 12.4 vol. per cent is obviously below opti- 
mum concentration to produce rapid fatigue. It, like the higher 
grades of this alcohol, stimulates noticeably during the initial 
contractions, but this character soon becomes masked, and the 
succeeding contractions proceed to assume contracture propor- 
tions. A typical curve produced by muscles thus subjected is 
shown in figure 5, and from comparison is similar to one produced 
in normal salt solution (Fig. 12). 
Ethyl alcohol. — Strong ethyl alcohol has a surprising stimu- 
lating effect upon muscles undergoing the fatigue process, so 
that the onset of the second contracture phase is very slow and 
remarkably gradual. The treppe effect brought about is perhaps 
more conspicuous here than in any other cases tried. ' Once the 
final contracture phase is produced, however, it is maintained for 
a long time with scarcely any apparent decline. Muscles in this 
strength fatigue quite as slowly as those submitted to physiological 
salt solution. Figure 7 shows a typical record obtained with 
strong ethyl alcohol. There is little initial relaxation apparent 
such as develops in concentrations of lower strengths. 
Ethyl alcohol of 50 vol. per cent, is remarkable in that it pro- 
duces a sustained relaxation phase of uniform responsiveness as 
is evidenced by the plateau form of the record, (Fig. 8), accom- 
panied by a rather uniform base. line. Once the fatigue is brought 
about, the second contraction phase appears rapidly as evidenced 
by the uniform ascent of the lower margin of the described curve. 
Contracture, however, is not prolonged as in strong alcohol, but 
