228 VEGETABLE POISONS. 



ceases ; while the heart, to the action of which the brain is not 

 directly necessary, continues to contract, circulating dark-coloured 

 blood for some time afterwards. 



There is a striking analogy between the symptoms arising from 

 spirits taken internally, and those produced by injuries of the 

 brain. 



Concussion of the brain, which may be considered as the slight- 

 est degree of injury, occasions a state of mind resembling intoxica- 

 tion, and the resemblance in some instances is so complete, that 

 the most accurate observer cannot form a diagnosis, except from 

 the history of the case. Pressure on the brain, which is a more 

 severe injury than concussion, produces loss of motion, insensibili- 

 ty, dilatation of the pupils ; respiration becomes laboured and ster- 

 torous, is performed at long intervals, and at last altogether ceases, 

 and the patient dies. 



It forms an interesting matter of enquiry, whether spirits when 

 taken into the stomach produce their effects on the brain by being 

 absorbed into the circulation, or in consequence of the sympathy 

 that exists between these organs by means of the nerves. The fol- 

 lowing circumstances lead me to conclude that they act in the last 

 ot these two ways. 



1. In experiments where animals have been killed by the injec- 

 tion of spirits into the stomach, I have found this organ to bear 

 the marks of great inflammation, but never found any preternatural 

 appearances whatever in the brain. 2. The effects of spirits taken 

 into the stomach in the last experiment were so instantaneous, that it 

 appears impossible that absorption should have taken place before 

 they were produced. 3. A person who is intoxicated, frequently 

 becomes suddenly sober after vomiting. 4. In the experiments 

 which I have just related, I mixed tincture of rhubarb with the 

 spirits,, knowing from the experiments of Mr. Home, and Mr. Wil- 

 liam Brande, that this, when absorbed into the circulation, was 

 readily separated from the blood by the kidneys, and that very 

 small quantities might be detected in the urine by the addition of 

 potash ; but, though I never failed to find urine in the bladder, I 

 never detected rhubarb in it. 



The including the termination of the thoracic duct in a ligature- 

 does not prevent spirits, when taken into the stomach, from pro- 

 ducing their usual effects on the nervous system ; but subsequent 



