The factors which determine the production of intraocular fluid / by E. E. Henderson and E. H. Starling.

  • Henderson, Edward Erskine
Date:
[1906]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The factors which determine the production of intraocular fluid / by E. E. Henderson and E. H. Starling. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    a product of the two factors, formation and absorption, and that the main- tenance of the pressure at a constant height must be determined by an accurate balance between these two processes. The problem which lies before us is to determine the mechanism of formation of this fluid. The intraocular fluid is a clear, colourless solution containing a proportion of salts similar to that of the blood plasma, but having an osmotic pressure which is somewhat higher than the blood plasma, and containing the merest trace of proteids.* I. Methods of Research. The animals used were mostly cats. In a few cases dogs were employed, and in one experiment a rabbit. In the case of the cats the anaesthetic used was always ether, with the addition in some cases of a small dose of morphia. In a few experiments, after the induction of full anaesthesia, a small dose of curare was given. The administration of the anaesthetic was continued during the experiment by an air-pump connected with a cannula in the trachea. For the dogs the A.C.E. mixture was employed. A record of the blood pressure was kept in all experiments. In some it was taken continuously, but in the greater number of experiments a short record was taken every few minutes in order to avoid trouble with clotting in the cannula. In the cats the blood pressure was taken in the lower part of the abdominal aorta, in the dog in the femoral artery. The apparatus we employed for measuring the intraocular pressure was very similar to that described in a former paper (3). A graduated tube with internal bore of about 0-5 mm., and about 50 cm. long, is provided with a lateral tube near each end. One end of the tube is connected by india- rubber tubing, by means of a T-piece, with a reservoir containing Einger's solution (or any other fluid the absorption of which is to be determined), and also with a manometer. The other end is connected by a second (glass) tube with a gilt steel hoUow needle, which is introduced into the anterior chamber of the eye. The needle may be open at the end, or be closed at the end and provided with a lateral opening. To each of the side tubes a rubber capsule is attached. The capsule nearest the reservoir contains air, while that towards the eye is filled with fluid. By means of screw-clamps, fluid or air may be driven from either of the two capsules into the graduated tube. Eefore introducing the needle into the anterior chamber, the pressure in the apparatus is adjusted by raising the reservoir to about 25 cm. HgO, which represents the average intraocular pressure. While the fluid is dropping from ♦ TuU details of various analyses of intraocular fluid are given by Leber (2); p. 207, et seq.
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