Studies on Muscle-Tone, With Special Reference to Anaesthesia and Specific Relaxant Drugs

A brief historical survey of the concept of muscle-tone is given. Muscle-tone is defined as: "the capacity of a muscle to resist extension," An instrument, the Tonometer, working on the "hardness" principle, is described and assessed. It is shown to provide an effective measure of differences in muscle-tone. It is further shown that measures of tone based on "hardness" and based on "resistance to extension" may, under limited conditions, give equivalent results. Clinical work is described in which the effect on muscle-tone of ether anaesthesia and of resaxants is assessed by the Tonometer. It is found that the increase in tone common in second stage anaesthesia may persist into the first plane of the third stage. No decrease in tone below the level in the relaxed conscious patient was shown to occur with anaesthesia. (Objects (1) and (3), page 1). No decrease in tone below the level found in the relaxed, conscious patient was shown to occur with relaxants. (Objects (2) and (3), page 1). It is concluded that the purpose both of anaesthesia and of relaxant drugs is, not the obtaining of muscular relaxation, but its maintenance by preventing reflex increases in tone. Part 2 of the thesis is devoted to a consideration of the effects of relaxants and the way in which reflex increases in tone are prevented. This is an expansion of object (2). As relaxants produce no decrease in muscle-tone beyond that found in the relaxed conscious patient, the activity of the drugs was judged by the effect on the tendon-jerks; the effect on the response to stimulation of peripheral nerves; and by the presence or absence of conditions satisfactory for upper abdominal surgery. It is shown that tendon-jerks are gradually abolished under the influence of relaxants. When d-tubocurarine or gallamine are used, abdominal protective reflexes may be abolished while the tendon-jerks are still present. (stage of Bremer). This is not true in the case of decamethoniura. Relaxation satisfactory for upper abdominal surgery may begin while the threshold for response to stimulation of the ulnar nerve is unaltered, or is even temporarily lowered, and while both hand and abdominal muscles can still maintain an imposed tetanus. It is concluded that the peripheral blocking action of d-tubocurarine and gallamine is not sufficient to explain the abolishing of protective reflexes by these drugs, but no site is assigned for any central action which might be responsible for this effect

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 18

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. Student activities covered in this issue include the annual class war between the freshman and sophomore classes

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 3

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. The paper includes a report on construction of Memorial Gymnasium on the south side of the Armory

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 8

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. Included in this issue are stories related to severe injuries sustained by two female first-year students — Libby Philbrook and Margaret Sewall — as the result of a car accident in Old Town

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 7

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 20

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. This issue covers the approval of changes regulations related to rushing and fraternities

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 19

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. Featured in this issue is a memoriam dedicated to Carlton Otis Wilson (1913-1933), killed when he was struck from behind by a speeding vehicle

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 9

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. Discussion in this edition focuses on exams

1936 The Freshman, vol. 3, no. 21

The Freshman was a weekly, student newsletter issued on Mondays throughout the academic year. The newsletter included calendar notices, coverage of campus social events, lectures, and athletic teams. The intent of the publication was to create unity, a sense of community, and class spirit among first year students. Covered in this edition are changes to the College of Arts requirements