The cause of the treppe

Abstract

The treppe is usually ascribed to increased irritability caused by activity. The cause of the increased irritability has remained obscure. In studying the depressing action on muscle of its fatigue substances the author often observed augmentation of activity instead of depression. A more careful investigation of this phenomenon shows that it may be produced by all of the three recognized fatigue substances — namely, carbon dioxide, mono-potassium phosphate, and paralactic acid. When a muscle is irrigated with an indifferent fluid containing one of these substances in small quantity, and compared with its mate irrigated only by the indifferent fluid, a fatigue record being made from both, more intense contractions frequently occur in the poisoned muscle at the beginning of the experiment, and may last until exhaustion sets in. When a fatigue record is being made from a muscle with the circulation intact, intravenous injection of a fatigue substance causes augmentation of contraction. The author concludes that the treppe is due to the augmenting action of fatigue substances in small quantities — the same substances which in larger quantities cause depression or fatigue.

An excellent mode of demonstrating the augmenting action of CO₂ in the cat is to record the contractions of the tibialis anticus in the living animal, and while the record is being made, to clamp the trachea. A marked treppe follows.

If two corresponding muscles be compared, one with the circulation intact, and the other with its arteries ligated, the latter muscle performs more intense contractions and exhibits a more rapidly developing treppe, owing to the accumulation of fatigue substances.

The chemical theory of the treppe is able to explain several other known phenomena. The author has experimented on both frogs and cats. The augmenting action of the fatigue substances seems to be observed even when curare is employed.