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Vectorcardiogram of the 'Man-Frog'


A. Skowron
P. Gathiram

Abstract

New experimental evidence is adduced to show that the hypothesis of the single instantaneous equivalent or resultant cardiac vector-which forms the basic concept of vectorcardiography - no matter whether this is produced by a dipole or a combination of dipoles, or a multi pole, is no longer tenable. Chest electrodes from a man and from a frog are connected simultaneously to an oscilloscope - the one to the vertical and the other to the horizontal plates - and the resulting display observed. It consists of a loop, the interpretation of which is discussed, and the conclusion is reached that the presently held vector theory appears to be of historical value only. Nevertheless, electrocardiograms and 'vectorcardiograms' will continue to be of the greatest clinical value, albeit on a purely empirical basis.

S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1095 (1974).

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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574