ACTION OF VEGETABLE POISONS. 325 



ifioac which occurred in the last experiment, and in two 

 minutes more he was apparently dead ; but the heart con- 

 tinued to contract for some minutes afterward. 



From the experiments which I have just related, and Acts as when 

 from others which it appears unnecessary to detail, as the^^^J^ '^^ buUest 

 general results were the same, I have learned, that, where quickly, 

 the essential oil of almonds is applied to a wound, its effects 

 are not so instantaneous as when it is applied to the tongue; 

 otherwise there is no difference in its effects, in whatever 

 manner it is applied. 



Experiment mth the Juice of the Leaves of Aconite. 

 Exp. 18. I made a wound in the side of a young rabbit, J uice of aconite 

 and introduced between the skin and muscles about twenty Expenmem 18. 

 drops of the juice of aconite. Twenty-three minutes 

 afterward he was affected with symptoms in all essential 

 respects similar to those, which occurred in an experiment 

 already related, where the juice was injected into the 

 rectum ; and at the end of forty-seven minutes from the 

 application of the poison, he was apparently dead. Twq 

 minutes after apparent death, the heart was found contract- 

 ing, but very feebly. 



Experiments with the Woorara *. 

 Exp. 19. A small quantity of the woorara in powder Woorara, 

 was applied to a wound in the side of a guinea pig. Ten -^^P^""^*^* ^^^ 

 minutes afterward the animal was unable to walk; then he 

 became, quite motionless, except some slight occasional con- 

 vulsions. He gradually became insensible, the respirations 

 were laboured, and at the end of fourteen minutes from 

 the application of the poison, the respiration had entirely- 

 ceased, and he was apparently dead; but on opening the 

 thorax, the heart was found acting seventy times in a mi- 



* The woorara is a poison, with which the Indians of Guiana 

 arm the points of their arrows. It appears not to differ essentially 

 from the ticunas, which was employed in the experiments of the 

 Abbe Fontana. I am indebted to Dr. E. N. Bancroft, who not 

 only furnished me with some of the woorar^, which he had in h.is 

 possession, but also lent me his assistance in the experiments, 

 which were ijiade with it. 



