It is worthy of note that after decerebration clotting apparently occurred no faster because the abdomen had been opened, although in the decerebrate state etherization was suspended. The mechanism for reflex control of the adrenals may not be higher than the corpora quadrigemina, as Elliott has shown, but the discharge from the glands seems to be more certain to occur when the cerebrum is present and is permitted even slightly to operate.
Coagulation Hastened in Emotional Excitement
The evidence for emotional secretion of the adrenal glands has already been presented. As was noted in my earlier observations on the motions of the alimentary canal (see [p. 14]), cats differ widely in their emotional reaction to being bound; some, especially young males, become furious; others, especially elderly females, take the experience quite calmly. This difference of attitude was used with positive results, the reader will recall, in the experiments on emotional glycosuria; there seemed a possibility likewise of using it to test the effect of emotions on blood clotting. To plan formal experiments for that purpose was not necessary, because in the ordinary course of the researches here reported, the difference in effects on the blood between the violent rage of vigorous young males and the quiet complacency of old females was early noted. Indeed, the rapid clotting which accompanied excitement not infrequently made necessary an annoying wait till slower clotting would permit the use of experimental methods for shortening the process.
The animals used on November 11 and 13 ([see pp. 175], 176) are examples of calm acceptance of being placed on the holder; and furthermore, these animals were anesthetized without much disturbance. As the figures indicate, the clotting from the first occurred at about the average rate.
In sharp contrast to these figures are those obtained when a vigorous animal is angered:
Oct. 30.—A very vigorous cat was placed on the holder at 9.08. It at once became stormy, snarling, hissing, biting, and lashing its big tail. At 9.12 etherizing was begun and that intensified the excitement. By 9.15 the femoral artery was tied. The clotting time of the blood for an hour after the ether was first given was as follows:
| 9.18 | 0.5 | minute |
| .19 | 1 | “ |
| .22 | 1 | “ |
| .24 | 1 | “ |
| .26 | 1 | “ |
| .28 | 1.5 | “ |
| .31 | 1 | “ |
| .33 | 0.5 | “ |
| .35 | 0.5 | “ |
| .38 | 0.5 | “ |
| .39 | 0.5 | “ |
| .41 | 1 | “ |
| .43 | 1 | “ |
| .45 | 0.5 | “ |
| .49 | 0.5 | “ |
| .52 | 0.5 | “ |
| .54 | 0.5 | “ |
| .57 | 1 | “ |
| 10.00 | 0.5 | “ |
| .02 | 0.5 | “ |
| .06 | 1 | “ |
| .09 | 0.5 | “ |
| .11 | 0.5 | “ |
| .13 | 1 | “ |
Twenty-four observations made during the hour showed that the clotting time in this enraged animal averaged three-fourths of a minute and was never longer than a minute and a half. The clots were invariably a solid jelly. The persistence of the rapid clotting for so long a period after anesthesia was started may have been in part due to continued, rather light, etherization, for Elliott[7] found that etherization itself could reduce the adrenin content of the adrenal glands.
The shortened clotting did not always persist so long as in the foregoing instance. The brief period of faster clotting illustrated in the following case was typical of many:
Nov. 18.—A cat that had been in stock for some time was placed on the holder at 2.13, and was at once enraged. Two minutes later etherization was started. The hairs on the tail were erect. The clotting was as follows: