Experimental degeneration of the vagus nerve and its relation to the nerve terminations in the lung of the rabbit

✍ Scribed by O. Larsell; M. L. Mason

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1921
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 484 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9967
• DOI: 10.1002/cne.900330504

✦ Synopsis

I n a recent article one of the authors (Larsell, '21) has demonstrated histologically the presence of nerve terminations in the lung of the rabbit and their distribution in relation to the various parts of the bronchial tree and of the pulmonary blood-vessels. An adaptation of the methylene-blue technique was employed which, with the normal lung, gave results that appeared sufficiently constant to warrant an attempt to repeat the method on experimental animals. The hope was entertained that it might be possible to determine the elements which belong to the vagus nerve as shown by their disappearance by degeneration, following section of the vagus nerve in the neck region.

As in the previous work, rabbits were utilized. The vagus was sectioned in the midcervical region and the cut ends were allowed to retract. Ether anaesthesia was used during the operation, and aseptic precautions were observed. Twelve animals were operated upon, but only four lived for the period of twenty-eight days which was deemed necessary for complete degeneration of the severed fibers.