188 REPORT—1840. 
the blades were separated or brought together, and as conse- 
quently the valves were obstructed or left free. . 
S. 11. The tip of the left auricle was snipped off and he- 
morrhage was excited, which was constant but with slight jets 
at the systoles of the auricles. 
OssERVATIONS IX. and X. 
July 7th.—Operated on two Rabbits ; one a large vigorous 
domestic one, and the other a smaller wild one; both stunned 
by a blow on the head. The larger one was violently convulsed 
before death, and when the chest was opened the heart was 
not beating, and the only result obtained was— 
S. 1. Distinct beatings in the large vein on the left side 
which winds round the base of the heart to empty itself in the 
right auricle ; the actions observed were a systole followed by 
a diastole, and then a short pause ; there was no auricular sy- 
stole; the venous beating continued for many minutes. , 
S. 2. The second heart acted for some minutes with some 
energy, especially the right cavities; the left cavities were 
drained by hemorrhage, owing to an accidental wound in the 
superior great vein in opening the thorax. For some minutes 
the rhythm of the action of the cavities went on normally ; 
first, the very rapid and abrupt auricular systole, and then 
immediately the ventricular systole more gradual and of longer 
duration, and then the pause. 
S. 3. When the left ventricle acted, the apex cordis seemed 
slightly deflected to the left in systole, dragging the apex of the 
right after it; and when the right ventricle acted alone, no de- 
flection was observed. 
8. 4. For a considerable time after the cessation of the left 
side, the right cavities acted regularly, but after five to ten mi- 
nutes, the ventricle especially began to flag, and the auricle 
then acted frequently without any following ventricular systole. 
But on one occasion, without obvious cause, the auricle became 
sluggish, and even for a few moments motionless, while the 
ventricle acted by itself more than once. 
S. 5. In the systole, the apex approached the base, and the 
opposite sides approached the septum cordis, and the whole 
organ became rounder and more globular. In one direction, 
viz. the vertical, the heart always, when acting with any energy, 
became larger, while every other diameter was diminished. 
S. 6. After cutting out the heart, and before cutting out, 
but after cessation of spontaneous motion, systole was easily 
excited by irritating with scissors, etc., and after the left had 
nearly wholly ceased to answer stimuli, still the right ventricle 
