Studies of electrical activity of the peripheral components of the autonomic nervous system in chronic experiments

The review presented here deals chiefly with the construction of 'contact' and 'penetrating' electrodes used for implantation and recording from nerves of the autonomic nervous system. The major concern was the design of the capsules in which the electrodes were mounted and the nerve was placed. The details of how afferent and efferent discharges were separated from the total impulse flow are presented. Towards this end the technique of local reversible cooling of the nerve trunk was applied. Consideration was given to the problem of exteriorizing electrode leads and cooling device tubes and fixing them on the animal's body surface. Mention is made of the possible uses of these devices for recording visceral reactions.