Show II How ow Nerve Messages l Arc Are Transmitted by Electricity NEW YORK New YORK New light lighten on how you think think the the electrical m means ns by which messages are transmitted through the nerves of the body was body was presented to toa a meeting of the American Physical society here Drs Du Kenneth S. S Cole and Howard J. J Curtis Carus of the department of physiology phys lolon of Columbia university's university College Col Ie lege Ie of Physicians and Surgeons described described de de- scribed the new experiments on this most baffling of scientific c problems The They said The exact mechanism b by which a nerve transmits Its message is not understood at the present time but it t has haa long Ion b been cn known that a nerve Impulse Is in part at least el electrical in nature Measuring Electrical Properties In order more fully to understand under stand tand the process of excitation it is necessary to measure the electrical properties of the nerve in the same wa way as it It ii necessary t to measure the electrical properties of a wire before It Its I current carrying ability can be predicted This paper re reo reports ports port such luch measurements on restIng rest rest- tag Ing nerves It was wal found that the membrane surrounding tin thi individual Individual ual nerve fiber otters offers a high resistance resistance re re- to the passage of an electrical elec elee current which means that the ionic ca carriers of electricity find difficulty In n getting through this membrane On the other hand Its It electric capacity that is I. Is Its It lt ability to store tore up electrical energy is high hleb Thus Thusn an n electrical current can pass pall Into or out from a nerve fiber without causing it to lose any of 01 Its ita dissolved dis solved salts which are essential to the life Ufe of the cell ceU Work is now In n progress to determine the change if 11 any in n these properties when the nerve is la In a state stale of excitation exaltation I |