Electrical studies of living tissue — II: Correlation between tissue response and voltage distribution

ALTHOUGH opinion differs as to whether tissue response to electrical stimulation results directly from imposed electrical quantities or indirectly from accompanying chemical changes, there is general agreement that the response occurs when a definite threshold value of some changing condition within the tissue has been reached. Bishop¹ supports the belief that response results when a definite polarization is developed within the tissue; Hill² associates response with a threshold value of cathode potential. We present here evidence to show that response occurs when a definite internal voltage has been built up in the tissue. Our conclusions are based on data obtained from oscillograms of this internal voltage.