494 ON THE FEMORAL GLAND OF ORXITHORHrNCHCS, 



Almost immediately after the injection of the solution, more or 

 less extensive clotting of the venous side of the heart and great 

 vessels had taken place, and the circulation of the blood had very 

 soon been brought to a standstill. The dyspnoeic convulsions 

 followed from the consequent deprivation of the nervous system 

 of oxygen. 



As mentioned previously, at death tlie blood pressure in the 

 arteries did not fall as is usual to within a few mm. of the zero 

 line, but remained considerably above this (27 mm.). The 

 explanation of this is that owing to the extensive solidification of 

 the blood, the arteries were unable to empty their contents into 

 the veins. 



Experiment III : A rabbit of 3 lbs. weight was etherized and 

 prepared in exactly the same manner as described in Experiment 

 ii. In this case 4 ccm. of a 1 % solution ( = 0"4 gramme) of the secre- 

 tion were very slowly injected into the jugular vein. The blood 

 pressure at the moment of injection was equal to 138 mm. mercury. 

 It fell in five seconds to 76 mm., and by the end of the injection, 

 which lasted 40 sees., was only 42 mm., i.e., less than one-third of its 

 previous height. The heart at the same time became much slower 

 and feebler in its action. 



At the end of half an hour the pressure was only 20 mm., and 

 the heart was beating very feebly. At this point a further 

 injection of 4 ccm. of the same solution was inti'oduced. This 

 was immediately followed by asphyxial convulsions and death. 

 On opening the body, the whole of the venous system and right 

 cavities of the heart contained solid blood, so that on cutting 

 across the large veins not a drop of blood flowed out. The aorta 

 and other large arteries also contained clots. The examination 

 was made immediately, the heart continuing to beat feebly for 

 some minutes after removal from the body. The left ventricle 

 showed hfemorrhages under the endocardium as in Experiment i. 

 Experiment I V: In this experiment we tried the effect of a much 

 smaller dose of the secretion. Everything was arranged as in 

 • Experiments ii and iii. The same solution of the secretion was 

 used (viz., a 1% solution in ■75% salt solution). 



