ACTION OF POISONS OM THE ANIMAL SYSTEM. ^Q^ 



He grew insensible, and lay motionless, but with occasional 

 convulsions. At the end of fifty-three nainutes from the time 

 of the arsenic being applied, he was apparently dead 5 but on 

 opening the thorax, the heart was found still acting, though 

 very slowly and feebly. A tube was introduced into the tra- 

 chea, and the lungs were artificially inflated j but this appeared 

 to have no effect in prolonging the heart's action. On dis- 

 section, the inner membrane of the stomach was found slightly 

 inflamed. 



Experiment 4. Two drams of arsenic acid dissolved in six Exp. 4. Arse. 

 ounces of water were iniected into the stomach of a dog, by P'<^ injected 



r^.ri- 11 1 1 'nto the sto. 



means ot a tube ot elastic gum, passed down the oesophagus, mach of « 

 In three minutes he vomited a small quantity of mucus, and this ^og« 

 occurred again several times. The pulse became less frequent, 

 and occasionally intermitted. At the end of thirty-five minutes 

 the hind legs were paralysed, and he lay in a half sensible 

 state. At the end of forty-five minutes he was less sensible; 

 the pupils of the eyes were dilated ; the pulse had fallen from 

 MOto 70 in a minute, and the intermissions were frequent. 

 After this, he became quite insensible j convulsions took 

 place, and at the end of fifty minutes, from the beginning of 

 the experiment, he died. On opening the thorax, imme- 

 diately after death, tremulous contractions of the heart were 

 observed ; but not sufficient to maintain the circulation. The 

 stomach and intestines contained a large quantity of mucous 

 fluid, and their internal membrane was highly inflamed. 



These experiments were repeated, and the results, in all The experi- 



essential circumstances, were the same. The symptoms pro- "^5"'*!«Pf^^^^ 



■ . ^ , , . , , , / , ^ with similar 



duced were, 1, paralysis 01 the hmd legs, and atterwards or results. 



the other parts of the body ; convulsions j dilatation of the 

 pupils of the eyes 5 insensibility ; all of which indicate disturb- 

 ance of the functions of the brain : 2, a feeble, slow, inter- 

 mitting pulse;, indicating disturbance of the functions of the 

 heart. Where the heart has continued to act after apparent 



ears and face. These facts seem to show, that the influence of the ygyg^ jo re- 

 braln, like that of the heart, is not propagated with the same facility to mote parti, 

 the distant as to the near organs ; and this is farther confirmed by cases 

 of dsease which occasionally occur, in which, although the paralysis is 

 confined to the lower hal-f of the body, the morbid appearances met 

 with on dissection lire entirely confined to the brain. 



death. 



