656 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONSi [aNNO 1780. 



Having repaired my syringe, I put into it only 1 drops of the water in which 

 I had mixed J- of a drop of the poison dissolved in water as above. I had scarcely 

 introduced the poison into the jugular, when the rabbit fell down as dead as if it 

 had been struck with lightning. I do not believe that half a drop of the liquor 

 in the syringe was introduced when the animal fell motionless and dead. In 

 general, from other experiments which I made afterwards, I think I may venture 

 to say, that this poison, introduced immediately into the blood by the jugular, 

 kills sooner, and requires a less quantity of it to kill, than the poison of the 

 viper does. Death follows the introduction of the poison into the blood so 

 speedily, that it prevents the usual convulsions of the animal. If a smaller 

 quantity of the poison be taken, we then perceive the ordinary convulsions and 

 palpitations, and death does not happen so suddenly. It is indeed true, that the 

 blood is not coagulated, nor so much altered in its colour, as when the poison of 

 the viper is introduced into the jugular; but death is not therefore more tardy, 

 nor less certain, as both the poisons, when introduced immediately into the 

 blood, kill animals in the same manner. 



This then is a truth gained from experiment, to which nothing can be ob- 

 jected, however dark or little understood the cause of death may be in such 

 cases: viz. that the American poison, introduced into the blood, kills the 

 animal instantaneously; whence also it indubitably appears, that when it is 

 externally applied to a wounded part of a living animal, it can and ought to com- 

 municate, by means of the blood, a great disorder into the animal economy, 

 and occasion death itself. The death of the animal, which follows the instant 

 that the poison is introduced into the blood by the jugular, proves to a demon- 

 stration, that in such cases all tlie action of the poison is against the blood itself, 

 and that the nervous system is not at all affected or altered. This however 

 is still no proof that the nerves may not be more or less affected by that 

 poison, when death happens much slower, and when it is applied externally 

 to wounded parts. In this case we perceive the convulsions, and all the signs of 

 a nervous disorder. The nerves may therefore probably be affected by the 

 poison, and be the chief cause of the death of the animal. 



We must here, however, still have recourse to direct experiment, as was done 

 with respect to the poison of the viper, and see what disorders aud diseases are 

 produced by the American poison when applied immediately to the nerves with- 

 out touching the vessels. My experiments have been made on the sciatic nerves 

 of large rabbits, which I prepared in the same manner as I had done at Paris, 

 when I was making experiments with the poison of the viper, so that I shall not 

 here give any particulars concerning the method of preparing these nerves. I 

 shall notice however a small number of the principal experiments made 

 on tl>e nerves, by which may be seen the variety of successes I met with, 

 especially in the first trials, wiiich would have deceived me if I had not persisted 



