VEGETABLE POISONS. 29 



observations, which Mr. Home has already communicated, have 

 shown that no conclusion can be drawn from this experiment. 



That a poison may affect a distant organ, through the medium 

 of the nerves, without entering the circulation, is proved by the 

 well known circumstance of solution of the extract of belladonna, 

 when applied to the tunica conjunctiva of the eye, occasioning dila- 

 tation of the pupil of the same eve, though no other part of the 

 system is affected. 



It has been formerly supposed by Dr. Mead and other physiolo- 

 gists, that a poison may produce death by acting on the extremi- 

 ties of die nerves of the stomach and intestines, without being ab- 

 sorbed into the circulation. That it should by these means be 

 capable of affecting the brain is not to be wondered at, when we 

 consider the numerous and various sympathies between this organ 

 and the alimentary canal, evidently independent of any other com- 

 munication than the nerves. 



Essential oil of Utter almonds. 



Exp. 5. One drop of the essential oil of bitter almonds was 

 applied to the tongue of a young cat. She was instantly ceased 

 with violent convulsions, then lay on one side motionless, insensible; 

 breathing in a hurried manner; the respirations became laboured, 

 took place at longer and longer intervals, and at the eud of five 

 minutes, from the application of the poison, had entirely ceased, 

 and the animal was apparently dead ; but on opening the thorax, 

 the heart was found acting regularly eighty times in a minute, cir- 

 culating dark-coloured blood, and it continued to act for six or 

 seven minutes afterwards. 



Exp. 6. I injected into the rectum of a cat half an ounce of 

 water, with two drops of the essential oil. In two minutes after- 

 wards, he was affected with symptoms similar to those which occur- 

 red in the last experiment, and at the end of five minutes, from 

 the injection of the poison, he was apparently dead. Two minutes 

 after apparent death, the heart was found acting eighty times in a 

 minute. On dissection, no preternatural appearances were found 

 either in the internal membrane of the rectum, or the brain. 



The symptoms produced by this poison, and the circumstance 

 of the heart continuing to contract after apparent death, lead to 



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