THE INFLUENCE OF THE PERICARDIUM ON ACUTE CARDIAC DILATATION PRODUCED BY VAGAL STIMULATION

Abstract

Experiments on 10 barbitalized dogs indicate that animals with the pericardium incised show a greater cardiac dilatation when the vagus is stimulated to cause cardiac standstill than do animals with the pericardium intact. The pericardium restrains excessive cardiac dilatation caused by vagal stimulation, which is further evidence for the protective action of the pericardium in conditions of extreme stress on the heart.