532 REPORT— 1897. 



II. Effects of fXhre peptone — ■ 



(a) On blood-coagulation ; 



(6) On blood -pressure and peripheral vaso-motor irritability ; 



(c) On the blood-vessels of the limb, kidney, and spleen respectively. 



III. Effects of anti-peptone — 



(a) On blood-coagulation ; 



(6) On blood-pressure and vaso-motor irritability. 



IV. Effects of deutero-albumose dealt with in the same way as have 

 been the effects of pure peptone. 



I. Effects of Wittes Peptone. 



(a) On the blood-vessels of the linih. — Plethysmographic observations of 

 the volume of the limb were taken by Mosso's method and compared with 

 a simultaneous tracing of carotid blood-pressure. One or both sciatic 

 nerves were divided and excited by a fai-adic current. In the earlier 

 experiments an injection of Witte's ' peptone ' was made during this 

 excitation, the excitation being also repeated subsequent to the injection. 

 Later it was found more suitable to compare the results of an excitation 

 of definite strength, made after the injection, with the results of an excita- 

 tion of the same strength made before the injection. 



Five experiments were performed, on dogs varying from 7 '6 to 

 10'8 kilos in weight, and employing Witte's peptone in doses of O'l, 0*15, 

 and 0-2 grm. per kilo of body weight. 



The conclusions arrived at by this method support those expressed 

 last year, viz., that Witte's peptone produces a decided dilating effect on 

 limb blood-vessels by lowering the irritability of the peripheral neuro- 

 muscular apparatus, to centrifugal impulses. The effect, however, does 

 not appear to be so pronounced on these blood-vessels as upon those of the 

 splanchnic area. A dose of Witte's peptone which is sufficient to com- 

 pletely abolish the efi'ect of vaso-constrictive impulses on abdominal blood- 

 vessels is only able to weaken their effect on blood-vessels of the limb. 



(b) On blood-vessels of the kidney. — A record of kidney volume was 

 taken by means of Roy's oncometer and oncograph. This was accom- 

 panied by a tracing of blood -pressure. A solution of Witte's peptone was 

 injected into the saphenous vein. In the earlier experiments one or both 

 splanchnic nerves, or occasionally the spinal cord, was faradically excited 

 during, and after the injection. This procedure was subsequently modified, 

 and the effects of an excitation of certain strength made before the injec- 

 tion, were compared with the results of the same strength of excitation 

 made after the injection. 



Seven experiments were performed. The dogs employed varied in 

 weight from 7'8 to 16-4 kilos, and the dose used in most cases was 0-1 grm. 

 per kilo. In a few experiments double this dose was employed. 



The conclusions arrived at from these experiments are similar to those 

 deduced concerning the influence of Witte's peptone on limb blood-vessels. 

 This substa.nce produces a vaso-depressing influence on the blood-vessels of 

 the kidney to a considerable degree, especially in the larger doses employed. 

 The degree to which this influence extends is probably even less than 

 that upon the blood-vessels of the limb, certainly less than that upon other 

 vessels in the abdomen. 



(c) On the blood-vessels of the sjAeen. — A spleen curve was taken by 



