10 VETERINAKY TOXICOLOGY 



attention to the lack of absorption of strychnine therefrom, 

 after ligature of the pylorus. It cannot, however, be safely 

 laid down that no absorption takes place, for traces of 

 potassium ferrocyanide, given by injection into this viscus 

 after ligature of the pylorus, have been found in the 

 urine. 



The first stomachs of the ruminants are not adapted to 

 absorption, which is active from the fourth or digestive 

 stomach. Bouleyand Colin injected a solution of alcoholic 

 extract of nux vomica in water into the abomasum of 

 a bullock after pyloric ligature, and observed symptoms 

 after five, and death after seven, hours. Craig* gave 

 a goat 10 grains strychnine in water coloured by magenta, 

 and obtained symptoms in twenty minutes, when, on 

 slaughter and post-mortem, coloration extended over the 

 rumen, reticulum, and omasum, and just entered the 

 abomasum. 



The small intestine, caecum, colon, and rectum, all 

 absorb rapidly, and quicker than the stomachs. Thus, 

 strychnine injected into the small intestine may produce its 

 results in a few minutes. 



The general condition of the organs has naturally an 

 influence on the rate of absorption. In all cases this is 

 more rapid when the stomach is empty than when it is 

 full. The magnitude of the dose, as well as the nature of 

 the substance, is also clearly an important factor. It is 

 evident that many variable conditions unite in making 

 it impossible to answer the highly important medico-legal 

 question, ' How long after dosage would symptoms set in ?' 

 with anything more than very approximate accur^icy. 



(d) Subcutaneous or intravenous injection is a method of 

 introduction of poisons rarely, if ever, likely to give rise to 

 poisoning, but of immense value in studying the toxic effects 

 of drugs, and in medicinal treatment. The possibility of 

 loss by vomition or otherwise is obviated, and, moreover, 

 the general effects of the drug are more fully disclosed. 

 Absorption in this wayis rapid ; thus, potassium ferrocyanide 

 * Becord, 1911, p. 103. 



