S28 ACTION or VEGETABLE POISONS. 



the heart with the point ,of the scalpel, slight contractions 

 took place in the fibres of the appendices of the auricles, 

 but none in any other part. 

 Experiment 23. ^jcp. 23. The experiment was repeated on a rabbil- The 

 symptoms produced were similar to those in the last experi- 

 ments; ht>t the animal did not vomit, and the convulsive 

 » motions were in a less degree : he died eleven minutes after 



the poiion vas inserted. On opening the chest, the heart 

 was found to have entirely ceased contracting; it was much 

 dis+ended with blood; and the blood in the cavities of the 

 left side was of a scarlet colour. On i -ritating the heart 

 with the point of the scalpel, the ventricles contracted, but 

 not sufficiently to restore the circulation. 

 Experiment24 Exp. 24. About a grain of the upas antiar was inserted 

 into a wound in the side of a rabbit. He was affected with 

 symptoms similar to those before described, and died in tea 

 minutes after the poison was applied. On opening the 

 thorax immediately after death, the heart was found to have 

 ceased contracting, and the blood in the cavities of the left 

 side was of a scarlet colour. 

 It appears to ^* appears from these experiments, that the upas antiar, 



act like the in- when inserted into a wound, produces death (as infusion of 

 bacco on the tobacco does when injected into the intestine) by rendering 

 heart. the heart insensible to the stimulus of the blood, and stop- 



ping the circulation. The heart beats feebly and irregularly, 

 before either the functions of the mind, or the respiration 

 appear to be affected. Respiration is performed even after 

 the circulation has ceased ; and the left side of the heart is 

 found after death to contain scarlet blood, which never can 

 be the case, where the cause of death is the cessation of 

 the functions of the brain or lungs. The convulsions, 

 "which occur when the circulation has nearly ceased, pro- 

 bably arise from the diminution of the supply of blood to 

 the brain, resembling those, which take place in a person, 

 -who is dying from haemorrhage. 

 How io poisons There remains an interesting subject of inquiry, ** through 

 applied to what medium do poisons influence the brain, when applied 

 theTrain ?* ""^ to wounds?" That poisons applied in this manner do not 

 produce their effects precisely in the same way as poisons 

 taken internally, is rendered probable hy this circumstance ; 



that 



