[Reanimation and pathology (author's transl)]

Reanimation and "intensive treatment", by means of which the modern hospital is able to control the critical states on the borderline between life and death, have also opened up new aspects for pathology. The life-threatening phases of the illness have laws of their own for the course and other phenomena under the influence of intensive therapy. This will give expression to the term "vita reducta" purposely suggested for it. The intensive measures are briefly illustrated with regard to their possible general pathological effects and treated in detail, taking into consideration the constitutional basis of acute collapse of the cardio-vascular system and cerebral coma. Also, a critical attitude is taken on the often wrongly used term "clinical death" and especially to the problem of "intravital cerebral death".