U JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV, 



though nasal, forms a part of the respiratory, and not of the olfactory 

 tract of the nose. 



(5). Action on the Nervous System, — The delirium following 

 Atropine-poisoning shows that Atropine acts on the cerebral cortex. 

 Hence the symptoms noted above and others not noted, — viz : — 

 " exhilaration of the mental functions, giddiness, restlessness, and 

 automatic chorea-like movements. There is nsually loud, disconnected 

 talking delirium and raving. The delusions are of a pleasing nature, 

 and weeping or lamentation is rare. " (Murrell). With regard to the 

 kind of delirium, Lauder Brunton says, that it is characterized by 

 being very active and busy ; the patient always wants to be doing 

 something. At the same time, says Lauder Brunton, '' this very 

 business is accompanied by a great deal of languor and disinclination 

 to move, because the peripheral ends of the nerves are weakened, and 

 so there is difficulty in the way of the excited centres causing any 

 movements in the muscles. It is only in very large doses that 

 Atropine will paralyse the motor nerves completely, or at least the 

 motor nerves going to the voluntary muscles." 



(6). Action on the Muscles. — Read with the foregoing views of 

 Lauder Brunton quoted above, that Murrell observes thus : — " The 

 voluntary muscles are not affected." "The unsteady gait," says 

 Murrell, " often noticed in man, is due to an action on the (spinaH 

 cord or on the motor nerves, and not on the muscles." Murrell further 

 observes that Atropine increases the contractile power of involuntary 

 muscular fibre, (such for instance as is found in the heart and in the 

 intestines of man — K.R.K.). "But," says Murrell, "it has been 

 maintained that the increase in the persistaltic movements of the intes- 

 tines is due to depression of the inhibitory branches of the splanchnics." 



(7). Actioii on the Glandular System. — As noted above, " one of 

 the earliest and most notable effects of Atropine is dryness of the mouth, 

 from suppression of the secretions of the mucous and salivary 

 glands." (Murrell.) This, says Lauder Brunton, is due to the para- 

 lysis of the salivary nerves. Apropos of this, Murrell makes the 

 foHowing remarks : — " According to Heidenhain's hypothesis with 

 regard to the salivary glands, there are two kinds of secretory fibres, 

 one, the secretory^ the other, trophic, causing an increase in solubility 

 in the stored-up gland-substance. On the assumption of the different 



