ACTION ON IIESPIRATION AND DIGESTION. 57 



On the Respiration, — Bouley and Eeynal* found that digitalis 

 given to liorses in large doses at first caused acceleration oi* the 

 respirations as well as of the pulse; and after this exciting 

 action had passed away the number became remarkably dimi- 

 nished, falling to 8, 7, or even 6 per minute, being deep, 

 broken, and trembling, and, in some instances, remarkably inter- 

 mittent, the intermittence coinciding with that of the heart. 



Messrs. Delafond and Dupuyf ako noticed primary accelera- 

 tion with subsequent retardation. My own observations on the 

 respiration are extremely imperfect ; and though I have no note 

 of previous acceleration in large doses, such may have existed. 

 In most cases, the respiration has become slower and deeper^ 

 and, in one case, in a dog (Exp. XT I), I noted that it was not 

 only slow (8 in 65 seconds), but distinctly intermittent, the inter- 

 missions being of 4 seconds' duration, and coinciding exactly as 

 to time and duration with those of the pulse. At the time I 

 noted this, and for a good while after, I was perfectly unaware 

 of Messrs. Bouley and Eeyual's observations. 



In smaller doses, the primitive acceleration has not been 

 noticed, and the decrease has gone on gradually from the first. 

 In one case,t after injection of a small dose of digitaline, I 

 observed acceleration of the respiration, which might have been 

 accidental ; but there was no apparent cause for it, and I had 

 not noted it in the dog before, nor have I since, though he has- 

 been under constant observation. 



In several sick persons, in whom M. Joret§ noted the respira- 

 tions before and after taking digitalis there was sometimes 

 acceleration, and sometimes slowing of the respiration ; but the- 

 results show nothing, and he himself only mentions them in 

 passing. M. Duroziey|| has not found any slowing of the respi- 

 ration. 



On Digestion. — In small doses, digitalis is said to cause- 

 increased appetite.lF While taking digitaline I have had a good 



* Op. vit. 



t Bull, lie VAcad. de Med., tome xtj, p. 428 (II. and Q.). 



X Exp. XI, vide p. 127. 



§ Arc/lives de Med., 2 ser., tome iv, p. 27 (II. and Q.). 



II Thesis, Paris, 1853, p. 30 (II. and Q.). 



^ Germain, Med. Times and Gaz., Sept. 7, p. 250, 1861. 



