50 THE VENOMS OF CERTAIN T H A N A T P II I D E M. 



borne out. We have also found that the orbital reflexes are completely gone before 

 death, and that before their loss voluntary motion disappears. Moreover, if the 

 spinal cord is irritated immediately after the cessation of the orbital reflexes it will 

 be found that irritation will give rise to movements in the posterior extremities 

 only, and that after the cord will no longer respond to irritation the motor nerves 

 are still excitable. After the motor nerves cease to respond the muscles remain 

 irritable. 



These results all go to establish the conclusion that the respiratory centre is the 

 most vulnerable point of the nervous system, that the coordinating and volitional 

 centres are then prominently affected, that the sensory part of the spinal cord and 

 the sensory nerves are next attacked, and that the motor parts of the cord, and 

 the motor nerves are the last to succumb. 



