ii6 Researches Regarding Cholera. [parti. 



latter the urinary, still, their actions are to some extent modified by the mode of 

 administration. We were, therefore, anxious, in the first place, to ascertain whether 

 the introduction of precisely the same media, through some other channel, would 

 modify their action on the system, in such a way as to bring the results to 

 approximate more closely to the features presented in cholera, and in the second, 

 whether the effects produced by one kind of alvine discharge could, in any way, be 

 distinguished from those of another. 



With these ends in view we conducted the following series of experiments on 

 the effects of the introduction of organic fluids into the peritoneal cavity.* 



Experiment LXVIII. — A large, healthy pariah dog was put under the influence 

 of chloroform at 8-30 a.m., and one ounce of choleraic evacuation in a state of 

 decomposition (having been kept for 96 hours) was injected into the peritoneal cavity. 

 Previous to injection a preparation of the blood was mounted in a wax-cell ; shortly 

 after the operation the animal was observed to suffer from well marked rigors, which 

 recurred at intervals throughout the course of the day. 



It remained in a state of extreme depression, lying in a semi-drowsy condition, 

 and neither whining nor showing any other symptom of pain or uneasiness. A close 

 watch was kept on the symptoms throughout the whole day, but nothing new presented 

 itself; there was no passage of urine, nor of dejecta, and the only change observed 

 was a gradual increase in the depression and drowsiness. Towards evening the animal 

 appeared to be rapidly becoming weaker and could not stand on its legs, but the 

 limbs were quite lax and showed not the slightest evidence of cramps. It seemed to 

 suffer from thirst, and drank water freely when offered to it. 



As it appeared to be very improbable that life would be prolonged until the 

 following morning, chloroform was again administered at 7 p.m. and continued until 

 respiration had ceased. A post-mortem examination was then performed immediately 

 with the following results. 



On opening the abdomen the cavity was found to be distended with sanguineous 

 fluid. This fluid was subjected to careful microscopic examination. It contained a 

 few red blood-corpuscles and myriads of very active amoeboid bioplasts, which in many 

 cases, until their movements and changes of form were observed, presented a curiously 

 marked resemblance to cylindrical epithelial cells. Many others, however, were ragged 

 in outline, and passed off into long thread-like extensions. The fluid surrounding the 

 cells was very clear, hardly any molecular matter could be detected in it, and only 

 here and. there was a minute tremulous monad to be seen. 



The peritoneum and mesentery were intensely injected and thickened, but there 

 was no distinct evidence of the presence of solid exudative flakes between the viscera. 



* The results of introduction of such materials into the system through the mucous membrane of the 

 lungs will be made the subject of experiment shortly- 



