200 ACTION or rOISONS on THJS animal ST5TEM. 



Exp. 1. A cat Kvperimeni I. Some woorara was inserted into a wound in 

 woorara ^''^^ ^ young cat. She became afFected by it in a few minutes, and 

 lay in a drowsy and half-sensible state, in which she continued 

 at the end of an hour and fifteen*minutes, when the applica- 

 tion of the poison was repeated. In four minutes after the 

 second application, respiration entirely ceased, and the animal 

 appeared to be dead j but the heart was still felt acting about 

 one hundred and forty times in a minute. She was placed in 

 a temperature of 85 of Fahrenheit's thermometer, and the 

 lungs were artificially inflated about forty times in a minute. 

 The heart continued acting regularly. 



When the arliticial respiration had been kept up^ for forty 

 minutes, the pupils of the eyes were observed to contract and 

 dilate on the increase or diminution of light ; saliva had flowed 

 from the mouth, and a small quantity of tears was collected 

 between the eye and eyelids ; but the animal continued per- 

 fectly motionless and insensible. 



At the end of an hour and forty minutes, from the same 

 period, there were slight involuntary contractions of the 

 muscles, and every now and then there was an effbrt to 

 breathe. The involuntary motions continued, and the efibrts 

 to breathe became more frequent. At the end of another hour 

 the animiil, for the first time, gave some signs of sensibility 

 when roused, and made spontaneous efforts to breathe twenty- 

 two times in a minute. The artificial respiration was discon- 

 tinued* She lay, as if in a state of profound sleep, for forty 

 minutes, when she suddenly awoke, and walked away. On 

 the following day she appeared slightly indisposed j but she 

 gradually recovered, and is at this time still alive and in health. 

 Exp. 2. Arab- Experivient 2. Some woorara was applied to a wound in a 

 fc't- rabbit. The animal was apparently dead in four minutes after 



4he application of the poison 3 but the heart continued acting. 

 He was placed in a temperature of gO"*, and the lungs were arti- 

 ficially inflated. The heart continued to act about one hundred 

 and fifty times in a minute. For more than three hours the 

 pulse was strong and regular ; after this it became feeble and 

 irregular, and at the end of another hour the circulation had 

 entiiely ceased. During this time there was no appearance of 

 returning sensibility. 

 . The circulation of the blood may be maintained in an animal 



from 



