THE TIME-INTENSITY CURVE AND LATENT ADDITION IN THE MECHANICAL STIMULATION OF NERVE

Abstract

The sciatic nerve of Rana pipiens was excited by means of air jets using either rectangular pulses of given durations or pulses decaying approximately exponentially. Curves analogous to the electrical strength-duration and voltage-capacity curves were thus obtained. The existence of latent addition with mechanical stimulation was demonstrated by means of pairs of stimuli with a short interval between them. The greatest interval for summation was similar to that found with electrical stimuli. It is concluded that the results indicate that the states of excitation produced by both mehanical and electrical stimuli are the same and the consequences of such a view are discussed with respect to physical theories of excitation.