The Evidence that Adrenal Secretion is Increased by “Painful” Stimulation
As mentioned in the first chapter, stimulation of sensory fibres in one of the larger nerve trunks is known to result in such nervous discharges along sympathetic paths as to produce marked inhibition of digestive processes. Other manifestations of sympathetic innervations—e. g., contraction of arterioles, dilation of pupils, erection of hairs—are also demonstrable. And since the adrenal glands are stimulated to activity by sympathetic impulses, it was possible that they would be affected as are other structures supplied with sympathetic fibres, and that they would secrete in greater abundance when sensory nerves were irritated.
The testing of this possibility was undertaken by Hoskins and myself in 1911. Since bodily changes from “painful” stimulation can in large degree be produced in an anesthetized animal, without, however, an experience of pain by the animal, it was possible to make the test quite simply. The sensory stimulus was a rapidly interrupted induced current applied to the sciatic nerve. The current was increased in strength as time passed, and thus the intensity of the effect, indicated by continuous dilation of the pupils, was maintained. There was no doubt that such stimulation would have caused very severe pain if the animal had not been anesthetized. Indeed, the stimulus used was probably much stronger than would be necessary to obtain a positive result in the absence of the anesthetic (urethane), which markedly lessens the irritability of visceral nerve fibres.[2] In different instances the stimulation lasted from three to six minutes. Throughout the period there was markedly increased rapidity and depth of breathing.
As [Fig. 9] shows, the normal blood, removed from the vena cava before stimulation, caused no inhibition of the beating segment, whereas that removed afterwards produced a deep relaxation. Hoskins and I showed that the increased respiration which accompanies “painful” stimulation does not augment adrenal activity. We concluded, therefore, that when a sensory trunk is strongly excited the adrenal glands are reflexly stimulated, and that they pour into the blood stream an increased amount of adrenin.
Figure 9.—Intestinal muscle beating in normal vena cava blood, removed at 1 and renewed at 2. At 3 normal blood removed. At 4 contraction inhibited by vena cava blood drawn after sensory stimulation; at 5 removed. At 6 Ringer’s solution substituted.