Abstract: It has long been known that the application of a mechanical
stimulus upon a nerve can trigger a nerve pulse. There is no single
fundamental model from which all phenomena observed during the initiation
and propagation of a nerve pulse can be deduced, however its electrical
and chemical Êproperties have historically received more attention than
its thermodynamic and mechanical properties. We present experimental
results regarding mechanical stimulations of nerve pulses in lobster
nerves and discuss them with respect to previous findings and in the
context of the Soliton Model of nerve pulse propagation, which describes
the nerve pulse as a soliton-like density (sound) wave which is
dissipative and adiabatic. Results are also compared to electrical
stimulations and recordings upon the same nerve samples.