4S8 Oy THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF CASCA BAEK. 



symptoms of general muscular paralysis and loss of coordina- 

 tion are developed pari ixissu with the dyspnoea and frequency 

 of the vomiting. The animal rolls and staggeis as it walks ; its 

 head falls on the ground, and, finally, it falls over on its side 

 and is unable to stand. Death always occurs a very few 

 minutes after the development of these last phenomena. 



Appearance of the Heo.rt post onortem. — As a rule, post- 

 mortem examination of the heart shows a moderately firm con- 

 traction of the ventricles, with a somewhat distended condition 

 of the auricles. The ventricles, however, were never found to 

 be completely emptied of blood, and on one or two occasions 

 the heart was found to be moderately distended, the left 

 ventricle containing well arterialised blood. 



On several occasions, but here also with one or two excep- 

 tions, a remarkable vitality of the auricles was noticed (Experi- 

 ment I). 



The post-mortem appearances of the heart and their physio- 

 logical value will be noticed more particularly in the section 

 which treats especially of the action of that organ. 



The lungs were, in all cases in which they were noticed, 

 ?ound to be pale, except in Experiment III (see Experiment 

 XXXI). 



One of the most noteworthy phenomena is the action of a 

 small dose upon a cat in causing an utter refusal to take either 

 food or drink, and that, notwithstanding this total abstinence 

 from nourishment, the animal should live such a long time, 

 should show considerable muscular power (being able to jump 

 from the floor upon a chair up to the day before its death), and 

 should have still retained so much of its subcutaneous and 

 omental i'at. Another point to be noted is the occurrence of 

 subcutaneous abscesses, none of wliich were near the point 

 where the poison had been injected. 



This long continuance of life and retention of strength seem 

 to us to indicate that the processes of tissue change had been 

 retarded by the poison; and the granular condition of the 

 striated muscles appears to indicate a diminution especiallj'- in 

 the processes of oxidation. 



