122 ON THE NATURE AND ACTION OF THE CROTALUS-POISON 



gelatinous effusion all about the roots of the lungs. Heart 

 contracting. Electrodes applied to phrenic caused vigorous 

 contraction of diaphragm. 



2.50. Heart ceased to contract three minutes after respiration 

 had ceased. 



2.52. Electrodes in cord ; do not cause contraction of limbs. 



2.54. The sciatic nerve, when irritated, conveys impressions ; 

 muscles of legs contract. Blood from the heart and great vessels 

 did not form a coagulum, and remained permanently fluid. Eed 

 corpuscles of blood were much crenated. 



Death in this case appeared to be caused through the 

 medulla. 



Experiment X. 



June loth, 1874. — Action of Crotali(s-ipoison on the frog. 



A frog's hind leg was ligatured, excluding the sciatic nerve. 



A solution of Crotalus--poison was injected into the lymph-sac 

 at 12.32 P.M. 



2.30. Sluggish, but not otherwise affected. 



3.15. In the same condition. 



June 16th. — 12.3, noon. Sluggish, but can still move. 



June 17th. — Found dead this morning early ; pupils con- 

 tracted. 



Electrodes applied ; no reaction in either cord or nerves on 

 either side to the strongest current. 



The frog may have been dead some hours. 



Experiment XI. 



June 15th. — At 3 p.m. same day a solution of Crotalus-yenom 

 was injected into the dorsal lymph-sac of a frog, the aorta 

 having been previously ligatured, so as to prevent the poison 

 from affecting the trunks or peripheral extremities of the 

 sciatic nerves. 



3.40. The frog seems quite unaffected. 



June 16th. — 12.30, noon. Frog dead ; not rigid ; mouth open. 



Irritation of cord with strongest current does not cause 

 contraction of legs. Irritation of sciatic with coil at 24 causes 

 twitchings of gastrocnemius. 



