NOTE ON INDEPENDENT PULSATION OF 

 THE PULMONARY VEINS AND VENA 

 CAVA. 



In conjunction with SiR J. ]*AYREE, M.D., K.C.S.I. 



(From the Proceedings of the Royal Society, No. 172, 1876.) 



Ix a former communication* we incidentally mentioned that in 

 a rabbit killed by the injection of cobra poison into the jugular 

 vein we had observed the pulmoimry vein pulsating after all 

 motion had ceased in the cavities of the heart. We have since 

 observed the same phenomenon three or four times under con- 

 ditions which show that this pulsation is not due to the action 

 of the cobra poison with which the animal in which we first 

 observed it had been killed. The following example will show 

 the changes in rhythm observed in these pulsations. 



A cat was chloroformed, and the vagi exposed and irritated 

 by an interrupted current. Artificial respiration was kept up 

 by air containing chloroform vapour, and the thorax was then 

 opened, and a solution of atropia injected directly into the heart 

 by means of a Wood's syringe. The vagi were again irritated, 

 but without any effect being produced on the heart, the inhibi- 

 tory apparatus in it being evidently paralysed by the atropia. 

 A solution of glycerine extract of physostigma was now injected 

 into the heart in a similar way. The vagi were now irritated 

 again, and the heart stood still, the effect of the atropia having 

 been counteracted by the physostigma. After the irritation 

 ceased the heart again commenced to pulsate. 



Artificial respiration was now discontinued, but all the cavi- 

 ties of the heart continued to beat for a considerable time. The 

 ventricles then stopped, but the auricles continued to beat. It 

 was then noticed that the pulmonary veins in the right lung, 



* Froceedlngs of the 'Royal Society, 1874, vol. xxii, p, 125. 



