( 699 ) 
So here as well we see narcosis of the higher centres, paralysis 
of the respiratory-centre, and at last of the heart ; moreover coordi- 
nation-disturbances. 
Rabbits, intravenously injected, immediately showed disturbances 
of the equilibrium when sufficiently dosed; the animals rolled on 
the floor, had violent convulsions, shrieked sometimes and died through 
paralysis of the respiration. 
Artificial respiration brought the animals back to life again, as 
stated before. A guinea-pig also showed action on the centre, followed 
by death. Animals can also be poisoned per os, as appears from 
the experiments on cats. 
After all these experiments I give the following summary : 
Derrid is a poison having no strong local effect ; it causes a peculiar 
sensation on the mucous membranes of mouth and lips; it causes no 
changes on the conjunctiva; administered per os, subcutaneously or 
intravenously, it brings about violent symptoms of poisoning, begin- 
ning with vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by an effect on the 
central nervous system, with disturbances in the coordination of the 
movements, decreasing of sensitiveness, deepening of respiration 
and then stoppage of the breath. The poison also acts on the sym- 
pathetic nervous system, which appears from dilatation of the pupils, 
increased secretion of saliva and perspiration and stimulation of the 
pilomotores. 
In larger doses it also acts upon the heart, while irregularities 
and slowing of the pulse manifest themselves, besides falling of the 
bloodpressure, followed by heart-paralysis. 
As to its place in the pharmacological system, derrid cannot be 
included in any of the existing groups. It does not belong to the 
saponins, as strong local effect and laking-power are wanting ; neither 
does it belong to the narcotics, for the decrease of sensitiveness 
quite retreats into the background compared with the other symp- 
toms; nor can it be included in the digitalis-group, because its action 
on the circulation apparatus does not justify this. 
So for this poison which, as is apparent from preliminary expe- 
riments, has the same effects as some other drugs, a new group must 
be formed, the “group of the derrid-drugs”’. 
It would seem to me that as yet little is to be expected from 
derrid, therapeutically. 
