ACTION OF POISONS. 129 



in which they act ; and that most of the pheno- 

 mena which occur may be in this manner suffi- 

 ciently explained. 



Nevertheless, other facts may be adduced, 

 which render it doubtful whether the whole of 

 the phenomena admit of this explanation, at the 

 same time that the analogy of what happens under 

 other circumstances justifies us in regarding the 

 agency of the nerves in transmitting the influence 

 of certain poisons to the vital organs as no im- 

 probable hypothesis. 



1. The rapidity with which the poison operated 

 in some of my own experiments, in those of Dr. 

 Christison made with the active principle of 

 Hemlock, and of M. Magendie and Mr. Taylor 

 with the hydrocyanic acid, is even greater than 

 can be well accounted for otherwise, however 

 rapid the circulation, and however easy the trans- 

 mission of the poison may be through the sub- 

 stance of the mucous membranes and the tunicks 

 of the blood-vessels. 



2. In the first of my experiments on alcohol 

 the introduction of two drams of proof spirits 

 into the stomach of a cat immediately affected 

 the nervous system to such an extent as to cause 

 total insensibility with laboured and stertorous 

 respiration ; nevertheless after the lapse of eight 

 minutes these symptoms began to subside, so 

 that presently the animal was able to stand arid 

 walk. In another experiment, in which as much 

 as an ounce and a half of proof spirit had been 

 injected into the stomach of a full-grown rabbit, 



K 



