A Lecture on VASOVAGAL SYNCOPE AND THE CAROTID SINUS MECHANISM

Abstract

fni the present article a form of fainting is described for which the term " vasovagal syncope " will be found most a.ppropriate. It forms a common and interesting disturbance of a transient kind. It will be described and discussed in relation to a mechanism that has been under close investigation in recent years. There is another and distinct condition with which terminology tends to con- fuse it-namely, what I shall call for convenience " Gowers's syndrome "; there is also a third condition, probably comprising a vasomotor disturbance-namely, " Nothnagel's syndrome," and thought by some to be identical with Gowers's syndrome. The available evidence relating to these last two maladies will be considered sufficiently to allow us to see what there is in it of significance from the standpoint of the vascular system.