212 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [Vol. VII. 



frothy blood, and evidently the animal had died of drowning. This 

 chart shows that in acute asphyxia, as stated by the Hyderabad 

 Commission, the pressure may fall rapidly. The pulse, however, did not 

 slow as the Commission found it to do, and the chart bears no 

 resemblance to one in which death occurs from chloroform poisoning 

 (unless indeed the animal be already under atropine.) 



In Tracing 26 a dog under chloroform had alread}^ had some solu- 

 tion (of chloretone) poured into the stomach by means of a tube. 

 While still vertical the remains of the solution, about i oz., were poured 

 into the fauces, the tube having been removed. At once at 7 the 



T^/**«%ffl 



Tracing XXVI. — 3/8.— Dog under Chloroform and vertical. 7 An ounce of fluid poured into fauces- 

 gasped. 8 Some of solution inhaled, q Horizontal. Animal recovered. 



pressure fell, then rose for a few seconds, and then began to fall steadily 

 with slight hastening of the pulse. The animal was placed horizontal 

 and began to breathe again, and finally recovered. This chart shows 

 the danger of even small quantities of fluid accumulating in the fauces 

 while the laryngeal reflex is done away with by an anaesthetic. Even 

 tracheotomy might not save the patient, as the fluid is quickly drawn 

 into the lungs themselves, as shown by the post mortem examination of 

 the dog from which Tracing 25 was taken. 



These charts agree then with Lieut. -Col. Lavvrie's contention that in 

 asphyxia the pressure falls. The fall is only marked in obstructive 

 asphyxia, however. When asphyxia is brought about by free opening 

 of the pleural cavities producing pneumo-thorax, so that although the 

 animal is breathing hard no new air enters the collapsed lungs, then 

 after many violent acts of inspiration the respiration ceases and then 

 only the pressure falls and the pulse becomes markedly slowed. Kcnow 

 and Shenbeck^ showed that in animals whose respiration was paralyzed 

 by Curara asphyxia produced a rise in pressure, then a gradual fall, then 

 a strong increase and finally a fall to death. 



I "On Blood Pressure in Asphyxia," Skandin Arch. f. Physiologie, I, 603-641. Tap. 5, 6. 



