MEASUREMENT OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE SMALLEST BLOOD VESSELS IN HUMAN SKIN: RESPONSES TO GRADED MECHANICAL STIMULATION IN NORMAL MEN 1

Abstract
The threshold response consists of capillary constriction, in the middle of which is a faint line of erythema along the line of the stroker. The stimulus is graded as to intensity (wts.) and rate (cms./sec). Strength-duration curves are established for each skin. The threshold for excitation is raised with circulatory stasis; in systemic anoxemia, the threshold is raised and in hypercapnea it is lowered. In both cases, these changes are marked before changes occur in heart rate. blood pressure or respiratory rate, depth or minute vol. The threshold is little affected by changes in skin temp. A method is described by which a coefficient of excitability may be determined, and it is applied to a group of normal young men.

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