252 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



or chloroformed during the period of lessening conscious- 

 ness which precedes that of complete anaesthesia. The 

 animal refused food and water and showed signs of in- 

 creased peristalsis. During the second day prostration 

 and stupor were less marked, but uncoordinated move- 

 ments were more frequent and associated with a state of 

 delirium at times very violent. During the third day 

 the condition was the same. During the fourth day the 

 condition was the same, but the animal was weaker. 

 Warm diluted milk given by a tube was instantly vomited. 

 On the sixth day egg- water was retained. On the 

 seventh day death occurred. The brain was found to 

 be soft and congested. The cortical nerve cells were 

 found to be oedematous and showed excessive chroma- 

 tolysis. The mucous membranes of the loop and of the 

 duodenum and jejunum were considerably congested. 

 The ileum was slightly congested. The total amount 

 of potassium cyanide given to this animal was 0.061 gm. 

 in six doses in three hours during the first period, that 

 is before giving the indol ; after the indol, that is in the 

 second period, 0.085 gm. was given in four doses in three- 

 quarters of an hour. 



The leading effects of the poisoning in this case were, 

 first, a prolongation and intensification of the direct 

 indol effects upon the nervous system, for example, the 

 convulsive twitching; secondly, a delayed transforma- 

 tion of indol and a delayed excretion in the form of 

 indican; third, gastro-intestinal symptoms; fourth, 

 blindness ; and lastly, various mental symptoms. Other 

 similar experiments were performed which clearly showed 



