100 EFFECTS OF 



the pylorus, the effects of the poison were less 

 apparent than elsewhere. 



The peculiar state of the internal membrane 

 of the stomach, in this experiment as well as in 

 the last, appears to have been occasioned by the 

 chemical action of the poison on it. When I 

 injected a solution of corrosive sublimate into 

 the stomach of a dead cat, and retained it there 

 for a few minutes, a similar alteration of the 

 texture of the internal membrane took place ; 

 but it assumed a lighter grey colour. The dif- 

 ference of colour may be explained by the vessels 

 in the one case having been empty, and in the 

 other case having been distended with blood at 

 the time of the injection being made. 



The destruction of the substance of the in- 

 ternal membrane of the stomach precludes the 

 idea of the poison having been absorbed into the 

 circulation. We must conclude that death was 

 the consequence of the chemical action of the 

 poison on the stomach. This organ, however, 

 is not directly necessary to life, since its func- 

 tions, under certain circumstances, are suspended 

 for hours, or even for days, without death being 

 produced. Although the stomach was the part 

 primarily affected, the immediate cause of death 

 must be looked for in the cessation of the func- 

 tions of one or more of those organs whose 

 constant action is necessary to life. From the 

 scarlet colour of the blood in the left side of the 

 heart, in the experiment on the rabbit, we may 

 conclude that the functions of the lungs were 



