THE EFFECT OF HIGH FREQUENCY SOUND WAVES ON HEART MUSCLE AND OTHER IRRITABLE TISSUES

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Abstract
High frequency (340 kilocycles) sound waves of high intensity will cause rhythmic contraction of quiescent ventricular muscle of frog or turtle immersed in Ringer''s solution and a more rapid natural rhythm of the auricles accompanied by lessened amplitude of contraction and often by increased tone. Touching ventricle or skeletal muscle or nerve to glass carrying intense supersound waves does not stimulate. Smooth muscle of the alimentary tract exhibits some contraction from supersonic stimulation but the effect is negligible compared with that of heart muscle. Curarized gastrocnemius is not stimulated. The effect may be due to increased pressure changes accompanying the sound waves since it is known that increased pressure will stimulate.