The influence of calcium and of sodium in M/10 solution upon the conductivity in nerve trunks

Abstract

In a previous communication before this Society we reported that calcium chloride in an M/10 solution is capable of reducing or completely abolishing the direct and indirect irritability of frog muscles. The reduction or abolition is reversible; sodium chloride restores rapidly the lost irritability. It was further found that the primary action of calcium does not affect both forms of irritability in an equal manner; in a number of cases, especially under certain conditions of temperature and season, a comparatively small amount of calcium solution abolished completely the indirect irritability (from the nerve) while the direct muscle irritability still persisted in nearly its original intensity. From these experiments we concluded, among other things, that calcium affects the motor nerve endings more readily than the muscle tissue; in other words, calcium, like sodium, potassium, and magnesium exerts a curare-like action upon the motor nerve endings. However, there was one link missing in the evidence in favor of the conclusion mentioned. The abolition of the indirect irritability might be due to the action of calcium upon the nerve trunk, and not upon the nerve ending. We have therefore studied the action of calcium chloride upon the nerve trunk in a short series of experiments. The results of this study form the subject of our present communication.