CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 257 



by the fact, that in some parts of the country bees are stupefied by 

 this agent before extracting the contents of the hive. He was thus 

 induced to try some experiments on cats and dogs in which he suc- 

 ceeded in producing anesthetic effects, perfectly similar to those 

 obtained by the agency of chloroform and ether. In one case a pain- 

 ful operation was performed by Dr. Willis, of Barnes, with perfect 

 success. The mode of administering this agent is to allow the animal 

 to inhale the fumes of the dried fungus whilst in a state of ignition. 

 Mr. Richardson inhaled the fumes himself, and found them productive 

 of similar effects with those of chloroform. It is curious that this fun- 

 gus which emits these narcotic fumes, may be eaten with impunity, 

 and that it is amongst those which Dr. Baclham has recommended in 

 his recent work to be eaten as the esculent fungus of Britain. No 

 chemical principle has yet been detected to account for these very 

 curious effects. 



ETHER AND CHLOROFORM. 



The following conclusions respecting the nature and action of ether 

 and chloroform have been laid before the Frenc'h Academy, by M. 

 Jobert de Lamballe. 



Anesthesetics, by suspending the functions of the nervous system, 

 suspend at the same time those of the organs which are under its de- 

 pendence ; consequently their action affects the heart, as well as the 

 muscles which officiate as servants of the voluntary motions. The 

 action of the heart diminishes progressively at first, then it diminishes 

 with an alarming rapidity, sometimes falling to 112, to 72, to 60, &c., 

 beatings. The effects of chloroform are not as remarkable, not so 

 prompt with all persons as with the young, and certain adults ; the ab- 

 sorption of chloroform by the respiratory organs takes place with a 

 wonderful rapidity, from whence results the prompt loss of sensibility 

 and motion. In some persons there are large mediate communications 

 between the bronchi and the pulmonary organs, which favor anesthe- 

 sia instantly. Indeed, injected post mortem preparations show that 

 the communications established between the bronchia and the pulmo- 

 nary organs are more remarkable in some persons than others ; do not 

 these anatomical exceptions indicate that chloroform should be admin- 

 istered with the greatest caution ? Prudence consequently commands 

 that chloroforming should instantly cease so soon as the beatings of the 

 heart suddenly lose their power and their number. The physician 

 should constantly observe the patient, taking care to avoid placing 

 confidence in irregular motions and loquacity, as indications of the 

 degree of the chloroform's action ; for it does sometimes, not to say 

 frequently, happen that insensibility is produced even while the pa- 

 tient is moving his limbs and uttering incoherent words. The pulsa- 

 tions of the heart must always be the guide to the suspension and the 

 prosecution of the chloroforming, for, to repeat what has been said, it 

 is the best method of appreciating the degree to which the nervous 

 system is saturated, and of judging the extent of the chloroform's in- 



