One Unconsidered Form of the Part Played by the Nervous System in the Development of Disease

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Abstract
The reaction of limbs to inflammation in cats decerebrated by Sherrington''s method was studied. Inflammation was produced by subcut. injn. of turpentine into the foot. The extensor stress of the limb disappeared and it became flaccid. If the process spread upon the leg and thigh, the limb remained flaccid. If the inflammation was localized, instead of an extensor stress there developed a stress in the flexor muscles. It is concluded that: (1) inflammation unlike mechanical or electrical stimulation causes prolonged and persistent excitation in the nervous system. Instead of transient changes caused by electrical or mechanical stimulation, a persistent tonus change was seen. This persistence explains the fact that the affected limb may maintain an unusual posture for a long time; (2) stimulation produced by inflammation as well as electrical or mechanical stimulations causes reaction not only in the injured limb but in other concomitant limbs. In the normal, uninjured nervous system this additional part of the reaction remains latent, being compensated by the nervous system; (3) the organism is forced to compensate to conceal also the traces of excitation left by the inflammatory process in the nervous system. The recovery is detd. not only by healing of the tissue injury but also by compensation of traces of the pathologic excitation in the nervous system.

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