J 80 On the different Modes in which Death 



ration for more than an hour and twenty minutes after tlif 

 poison had prodnted its full effects ; and as during this time 

 the usual changes in the colour of the blood took place in 

 the lungs ; it is evident that the functions of ihe heart and 

 lungs were unimpaired : but that those of the brain had 

 ceased, is })roved by the animal havinti continued in a state 

 of complete inscnsibdiiy ; and by this circumstance, that 

 animal heat, to the generation of which I have formerly 

 shown the influence of the brain to be necessary, was not 

 generated. 



Having learned that the circulation might be kept up by 

 artificial respiration for a cotisidcrable time after the woorara 

 had produced its full effects, it occurred to me that in an 

 animal under the influence of this or of any other poison 

 that acts in a similar manner, by continuing the artificial 

 respiration for a sufficient length of time after natural re- 

 spiration l.ad ceased, the brain might recover from the im- 

 pression which the poison had produced, and the animal 

 might be restored to life. In the la^t experiment, the ani- 

 mal irave no sign of returning sensibility; but it is to be 

 observed, 1. That tl>e quantity of the poison employed was 

 verv large. 2. That there was a great loss of ammal heat, 

 in consequence of the temperature of the room being much 

 below the natural temperature of the animal, which could 

 not therefore be considered under such favourable circum- 

 stances as to recovery, as if it had been kept in a higher 

 temperature. 3. That the circulation was still vigorous 

 when I left ofl' inflating the lungs, and therefore it cannot 

 be known uhal would have been the result, if the artificial 

 respiration had been longer c(.ntinued. 



Exp. :'0. A wound ua< made in the side of a rabbit, and 

 one drop of the essential oil of almonds was inserted into 

 it, and immediately tf.e animal was placed in a temperature 

 of 90^. In two n)inutes lie was under the influence of the 

 poison. The usual symptoms took place, and in three mi- 

 nutes more respiration liad ceased, and he lay apparently 

 dead, but tlie heart was still felt beating through the ribs. 

 A tube was then introduced into one of the nostrils, and 

 •the luncs were inflated about tf\irty-five times in a minute. 

 Six minutes after l[)e commencement of artificial respira- 

 tion, he moved his head and legs, and made an effort to 

 breathe, tie then was seized wiih convulsions, and again 

 lay motionless, but continued to make occii,->ional efforts to 

 breathe. Sixteen minutes after its commencement, the 

 artilicial respiration was discontinued. He now breathed 

 spontaneously seventy times in a minute^ and moved his 



head 



