ACTION OF VEGETABLE POISONS, gpO 



1, In experiments where animals have been killed by the Most probably 

 injection of spirits into the stomach, I have found this organ *^"^ latter. 

 to bear the raariis of great inflammation, but never found 

 any preternatural appe«irances whatever in the brain. 2. The 

 effects of spirits taken into the stotrjach in the last experi- 

 xneut were so instantaneous, that it appears impossible that 

 absorption should have taken place before they were pro- 

 duced. 3. A person who is intoxicated, frequently becomes 

 suddenly sober after vomiting. 4. In the experiments, 

 which I have just related, I mixed tincture of rhubarb with 

 the spirits, knowing from the experiments of INJr. Home and 

 Mr. William Brande, that this, when absorbed into the cirr 

 culation, was readily separated from the blood by the kid- 

 neys, and that very small quantities miglit be detected in 

 the urine by the addition of potash ; but, though I never 

 failed to find urine in the bladder, I never detected rhubarb 

 in it. 



The including the termination of the thoracic duct in a 

 ligature does not prevent spirits,^ when taken into the sto- 

 mach, from producing their usual efl'ects on the nervous 

 system ; but subsequent observations, which Mr. Home has 

 already communicated to this Society*, have shown, that no 

 conclusion can be drawn from this experiment. 



That a poison may affect a distant organ, through the ^ P*^^'°" "'^ 

 \. , ~ • , . f . , r . act without 



medium of the nerves, without euteiing the circulation, is entering the 



proved by the well-known circumstance of solution of the circulation. 



extract of helladonna, when applied to the tunica conjunctiva 



of the eyt; occasioning dilatation of the pupil of the same 



eye, though uo other part of the system is afffcted. 



It has beeri formerly supposed by Dr. Mead and other Supposed ca. 



physiologists, that a poison may produce death by acting on ^,cin°deat^ 



the extremities of the nerves of the stomach and intestines, this way. 



without being absorbed into the circulation. That it should 



by these means be capable of affecting the brain is not to be 



wondered at, when we consider the numerous and various 



sympathies between this organ and the alimentary canal, 



evidently independent of any other communication than the 



nerves. 



* See p. 173, of our present vol. 



F-xpcrimenU 



