The parabiotic nature of the reaction of the nervous system during the action of gas gangrene toxin

Summary

This work deals with the effect exercised by the toxin of one of the causative agents of gas gangrene on the functional condition of the nervous system (experiments on rats and frogs). The author demonstrated the parabiotic nature of reactions of the respiratory center, the spinal cord centers, the peripheral nerve, and of the myoneural synapse in their alteration with the toxin of vibrion septique.

The peculiarity of this reaction lies in the phase of decreased lability and excitability and the prolonged equalizing stage of parabiosis. As shown by experiments on frogs, the parabiotic process of the respiratory center is of especial pathogenetic significance. The function of the central nervous and peripheral nervous formations, disturbed during the process of alteration by the toxin, may be restored for a short period by creating and anelectrotonus in the area of alteration. Prophylactic administration of strychnine may prevent the development of a parabiotic process of the respiratory center in the frog.