318 Dr. L. Rogers. On the Physiological [June 6, 



the secondary coil at 5 mm. were observed. Respiration finally ceased 

 at the end of 40 minutes. The sequence of events as regards reflexes 

 was as follows : During the first 25 minutes, stimulation of the left 

 foot produced contractions in both the legs and arms, as did also 

 stimulation of either arm, showing that the reflexes were intact. After 

 27 minutes, stimulation of the left foot still produced good movement 

 in the arms, as well as in the legs, but stimulation of an arm now 

 produced only a feeble movement of the legs. After 35 minutes, 

 stimulation of the left leg produced only feeble movement in it, 

 although the right (protected) limb still responded well, the motor end 

 plates in the poisoned limb being now partially paralysed. 'Stimulation 

 of one arm now produced no movement of the poisoned leg, but both 

 arms contracted well. After 40 minutes, in addition to the conditions 

 just noted, it was found that when the current was applied to the eye 

 directly, movement occurred in all four limbs, showing that a powerful 

 stimulus still produced a cord reflex. When, however, the current was 

 applied over the lower end of the vertebral column, the legs only 

 contracted, and when applied over the dorsal region the arms only 

 moved, showing some impairment of the functions of the spinal cord 

 so far as conduction in its long axis was concerned. On stimulating 

 one arm, however, both upper limbs contracted, showing conduction 

 transversely in the upper part of the cord still persisted. After 

 45 minutes the transverse conduction had also disappeared, for stimu- 

 lation of one upper extremity only caused contraction of the irritated 

 limb, and not of the opposite one, although when the electrodes were 

 placed over the upper cord itself both limbs responded. On applying 

 the electrodes to the eye directly at this stage, the protected limb con- 

 tracted well, and the three poisoned ones feebly only, while 7 minutes 

 later this powerful stimulus produced a reflex action of a very feeble 

 nature in the protected leg only. The heart was still beating, but 

 respiration had ceased for some minutes, the animal being quite flaccid, 

 and apparently dead ; the nerve trunks of the limbs were now exposed, 

 and stimulated directly, to ascertain how far the end-plates were 

 paralysed, with the following results : The muscles of all four limbs 

 still responded to direct stimulation. The sciatic nerve of the left 

 (poisoned limb) gave no response at all with the secondary coil at 0. 

 That of the right (protected limb) responded with the coil at 15 mm. 

 On testing the arm nerves, contractions were produced with the coil at 

 7J mm., but not at 10 mm., showing only partial paralysis of the end 

 plates of the arm muscles at a time when those of the poisoned lower 

 limb were completely paralysed ; an important point, which must be 

 taken into account in considering how far the changes in the reflexes 

 detailed above can be taken as evidence of loss of function of the 

 spinal cord, as apart from the affection of the motor end-plates. The 

 loss of the transverse reflex in the upper cord when the motor end 



