Atropine, in quantities of grain, also in- | together, it is highly probable that the creased the contractions in height (experi- rhythmic actions of the bladder are dependent ment 20). Lactic acid and potash also increased the height of the contractions. But, of all these agents, ergotine and potash were the most active in increasing the activity of the rhythmic contraction of the bladder. Now, in cases of prostatic obstruction and normally with a full bladder we have these rhythmic contractions. In the patients with prostatic obstruction they com plain of a "heaving up" by the bladder, as they express it. Now, ergot has been empirically given in cases of prostatic obstruction, on the theory that it produces an anæmia of the prostate and contraction of the unstriped fibre of the gland. These experiments show that it has a powerful action on the bladder,probably on its unstriated muscles, for it is a great stimulant of unstriped muscle elsewhere. But these experiments reveal the powerful action of potash upon the contractions of the bladder, an action equal to, if not greater than, that of ergot. Hence, in commencing hypertrophy of the prostate, a combination of the easily soluble in Minutes. potash salts with ergot will be a great improvement over the ergot treatment alone. power of atropine to strengthen the contractile power of the bladder explains in part the action of this drug in the incontinence of children. No. of Vesical Sum of Heights of Vesical Contractions for Five Minutes, in Millimetres. Air Temp. 69 The 5 1Ο 5 II 160 15 10 36 20 1Ο 179 25 4 40 30 12 79 35 The question now arises: Upon what part do these agents act? Frommel,* in his experiments upon the rhythmic contractions of the uterus of the rabbit, found that they continued when it was completely isolated from nervecentres. Jastreboff,† in a study of the con tractions of a rabbit's vagina, arrived at the conclusion that the rhythmic action lay in the nerve ganglia seated in the muscular structure of the vagina. Langley and Anderson have confirmed Sokownin's discovery that the inferior mesenteric ganglion is the seat of reflexes for the bladder. Now, these experiments lead us to regard the vesical rhythmic movements to be due to extra or intra- vesical ganglia acting upon the unstriped muscle; and, as in From mel's and Jastreboff's experiments they were. due either to involuntary muscular fibre, or to ganglia seated in them, or to both acting * Du Bois's Archiv, 1883. Du Bois's Archiv, 1884. 80 in Minutes. Sum of Heights EXPERIMENT 27.-Fig. 1. Faradic irritation of sciatic nerve, showing the step contractions. EXPERIMENT 27.-Fig. 2. First group of contractions normal. Second due to galvanism from 30 cells. (Read from right to left.) EXPERIMENT 9-Fig. 1. Normal curve, just before ergotine was administered. |