The action of adrenin on veins. (Preliminary communication.)

It would be remarkable if the vein wall were the only tissue in the body to possess contractile fibres without a functionally important duty of contracting. Very little attention, however, has been paid to physiological alterations in the calibre of the veins, though such alterations may be of high importance in modifying physiological and pathological conditions of the circulation, and in explaining certain actions of drugs. The following investigation was undertaken in the hope of adding something to the knowledge of the contractile power of the veins; and, though the intended scope of the inquiry has not yet been completed, results have already been obtained which appear to be of sufficient importance to justify their being placed on record.