82(3 KEPORT — 1897. 



tion in less tlian one-fiftieth of a second. The method shows also that from one- 

 tiftieth of a second up to a quarter of a second after its commencement this after- 

 image continues perceptibly increasing in intensity. 



TUESDAY, AUGUST 24. 



A combined meeting of Sections I and K for the discussion of the Chemistry 

 and Structure of the Cell was opened by the reading of the following Papers : — 



1 . On the Rationale of Chemical Synthesis. 

 By Professor R. Meldola, F.R.S. 



L'. On the Existence in Yeast of an AJcoliol-producing Enzyme. 

 By Professor J. E. Green, F.R.S. 



3. New Vieivs on the Significance of Intra-cellular Structures and Organs. 

 By Professor A. B. Macallum, Ph.D. 



WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. Preliminary Account of the Effects vqmn Blood-jn-essure j)roduced hy the 

 Intra-venous Injection of Fluids containing Choline, Neurine, or 

 Allied Products. By F. W. Mott, M.D., F.R.S., and W. D. Halli- 

 burton, M.D., F.R.S. 



The experiments have been conducted as follows: — The animals used were 

 dogs anaesthetised with ether. The right external jugular vein and the left 

 carotid artery were exposed, and a cannula was introduced into each vessel. The 

 artery was connected with a mercurial manometer in the usual way for taking a 

 blood-pressure tracing. A simultaneous tracing of the respiratory movements 

 was taken by the tambour method. 



The fluids were injected into the vein, and the results were, with certain 

 exceptions to be afterwards mentioned, in all cases similar — viz., no marked effect 

 upon respiration, but a marked temporary liill in the blood-pressure, which begins 

 about 10 seconds after the commencement of the injection. 



The fluids we used were — 



(1) Normal cerebro-spinal fluid. This produced no effect. 



(2) Cerebro-spinal fluid obtained jaosf onortem from a considerable number of 

 cases of general paralysis of the insane, from one case of stuporose melancholia, 

 and from one case of cerebral haemorrhage owing to the giving way of a cortical 

 cerebral vessel. 



To avoid fallacy of decomposition from microbic growth, it may be stated that 

 the bodies were placed in a cold chamber (0° C. or below that) within half an 

 hour of death, and cultures were in all cases made from the cerebro-spinal fluid 

 and blood of the frontal sinus, nnd in nearly all instances without result. This is 

 necessary, because many of these people die with bladder afiection or ulcerative 

 colitis, and microbic toxins might arise. 



As a rule, 10 c.c. of the fluid were injected ; and although the effect varied 

 somewhat in degree, yet in only one instance did no fall in the blood-pressure 



