Arterial hypertonus, sclerosis and blood-pressure / by William Russell.

  • William Russell
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Arterial hypertonus, sclerosis and blood-pressure / by William Russell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    THE CAUSES OE HYPERTONIC CONTRACTION 1. INFLUENCE OF THE NEKA^OUS SYSTEM. 2. INFLUENCE OF THE COMPOSITION OE CONDITION OF THE BLOOD. 3. THE LOCALISATION OF THE ACTION ON THE VESSEL WALL. 4. INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO. Having dealt with hypertonic contraction as it occurs in normal, in sclerosed, and in atheromatous arteries, we next proceed to consider the causes which determine this move- ment on the part of the arteries. Let me again repeat that this property separates the arteries altogether from the vulgar mechanical conception which would make them mere elastic tubes. With regard to hypertonic contraction, the general ]3roposition may be submitted, that it is caused by one or other of two factors : First—The intluence of the nervous system. Second—The composition or condition of the blood. The converse of hypertonus is either a relaxation -of hypertonus or a diminution in normal or average tone. We may now consider, in some detail, the positive aspect of this subject, which is the more important, while not for- getting that the negative has an importance of its own. THE INFLUENCE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. Taking up first the influence of the nervous system, it is universally known that the relations of the blood-vascular