Blood Capillary Circulation Under Normal Conditions and in Traumatic Shock

Abstract

AN important feature of the peripheral circulation is the close correspondence between the local needs of a given tissue and the amount of blood supplying it. Controlling mechanisms, to accomplish this, must involve more than the vasoconstrictor and dilator reactions of the terminal arterioles. Krogh attempted to ascribe the relative autonomy of the capillary circulation to the widespread occurrence of contractile, pericapillary elements, the Rouget cells. This has been considerably debated, and has never been adequately demonstrated. Moreover, there is still the question concerning the manner in which an adequate venous return can be maintained in spite of the supposed interposition, between arterioles and venules, of a network of extremely pervious capillaries¹. The techniques hitherto used for observing the capillary vessels have been either too fragmentary or have lacked the required delicacy of experimental approach for ascertaining their highly reactive and finely balanced behaviour.