VEGETABLE POISONS. 239 



trading* It was much distended with blood : and the blood in 

 the cavities of the left side was of a scarlet colour. There were 

 two full inspirations after the incision of the thorax was begun. On 

 irritating the heart with the point of the scalpel, slight contractions 

 took place in the fibres of the appendices of the auricles, but none 

 in any other part. 



Exp. 23. The experiment was repeated on a rabbit. The symp- 

 toms produced were similar to those in the last experiment; but 

 the animal did not vomit, and the convulsive motions were in a less 

 degree : he died eleven minutes after the poison was inserted. On 

 opening the chest, the heart was found to have entirely ceased 

 contracting ; it was much distended with blood j and the blood in 

 the cavities on the left side was of a scarlet colour. On irritating 

 the heart with the point of the scalpel, the ventricles contracted, 

 but not sufficiently to restore the circulation. 



Exp. 24. About a grain of the upas antiar was inserted into a 

 wound in the side of a rabbit. He was affected with symptoms 

 similar to those before described, and died in ten minutes after the 

 poison was applied. On opening the thorax immediately after 

 death, the heart was found to have ceased contracting, and the 

 blood in the cavities of the left side was of a scarlet colour. 



It appears from these experiments, that the upas antiar, when 

 inserted into a wound, produces death (as infusion of tobacco does 

 when injected into the intestines) by rendering the heart insensible 

 to the stimulus of the blood, and stopping the circulation. The 

 heart beats feebly and irregularly before either the functions of the 

 mind or the respiration appear to be affected. Respiration is per- 

 formed even after the circulation has ceased ; and the left side of 

 the heart is found after death to contain scarlet blood, which never 

 can be the case where the cause of death is the cessation of the 

 functions of the brain or lungs. The convulsions which occur when 

 the circulation has nearly ceased, probably arise from the diminu- 

 tion of the supply of blood to the brain, resembling those which 

 take place in a person who is dying from haemorrhage. 



There remains an interesting subject of enquiry, " through what 

 medium do poisons influence the brain when applied to wounds ? 

 That poisons applied in this manner do not produce their effects 

 precisely in the same way as poisons taken internally, is rendered 



