A catalogue of the scientific and literary work of S. Weir Mitchell.

  • Silas Weir Mitchell
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A catalogue of the scientific and literary work of S. Weir Mitchell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    Mere touch has no effect on knee-jerk. All abrupt impressions, as of pain, heat or cold, any- where on the skin, increase knee-jerk. Gustation has no effect on knee-jerk. Violent optical impressions, in sensitive cases, increase knee-jerk. Nitrite of amyl has no effect on knee-jerk. Etherization, if profound, abolishes the knee- jerk in dogs; has less effect in rabbits. All short faradic currents, anywhere, if strong enough to move muscles, increase knee-jerk. The wire-brush, with faradism on the dry skin, is one of the most effectual of all means of addi- tion to knee-jerk. Short galvanic currents, not strong enough to move muscles, give, under certain conditions, marked increase of knee-jerk. Galvanism to temples especially, but also to other regions of the head, gives large reinforce- ments to knee-jerk. Making circuit is more effectual than breaking, and these effects soon wear out. The negative pole to temple gives greater and more constant increase of knee-jerk than the positive in same position. There is more effect on knee-jerk from pole on temple than over leg-centres. Effect the same for either knee-jerk. Galvanism to temples, with violent synchronous muscle acts, very gready reinforces knee-jerk.
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