722 



DR FRASER ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION 



tion, and contracted, though latterly with diminished vigour, when galvanised : those of the 

 tied limb were now putrefying. In 100 hours, the poisoned muscles had lost much of their 

 blue colour, and contracted slowly and partially. In 120 hours, they were slightly stiff, and 

 galvanism produced merely a slow surface depression at each electrode, which continued for a 

 short time after their removal, and gradually disappeared. Such contraction could still be 

 obtained 124 hours, or more than five days, after the injection of the Calabar bean. A similar 

 dimpling could be produced on the heart till nearly the same time, and, therefore, long after it 

 had lost its power of spontaneous contraction. 



This experiment affords a very simple means of comparing the effect of mere 

 absence of blood supply with the action of Calabar bean on the irritability of 

 striped muscle. In the former case, irritability was destroyed, and the rigor of 

 death initiated, at some time between forty and forty-nine hours. In the latter, 

 subjection of the muscles during eighty-two hours to the influence of a blood stream 

 conveying Calabar bean was not attended with the slightest injury ; their irritability 

 disappeared, however, forty-four hours after the circulation had been stopped by 

 the action of this substance on the heart. Muscular paralysis was in both cases 

 due to stasis of the circulation. It has, however, rarely happened that this 

 irritability has continued so long as five days, in fatal cases of physostigma 

 poisoning. The special circumstances for its production appear to be lowness of 

 temperature and protracted continuance of the cardiac action. 



These results may be seen with greater clearness if we tabulate the more 

 important points of the above experiments, and of a few others. 



Table of the Periods at which Muscular Contractility was lost, after the administration of 

 Physostigma, and after Blood-stasis by Ligature of Vessels. 



Experi- 

 ment. 



Weight of Frog 



and of Dose, in 



grains. 



In Parts to which the Poison had Access. 



In Parts cut off by Ligature. 



Time when 



Circulation 



stopped. 



Time when 

 Muscular 

 Contrac- 

 tility was 

 lost. 



Interval between 

 stoppage of Cir- 

 culation and loss 

 of Muscular 

 Contractility. 



Nature of Operation. 



Interval between local 

 stoppage of Circulation and 

 loss of Muscular Contrac- 

 tility. 



V. 



473 to 3 



73 h. 



110 h. 



37 h. 







VI. 



379 „ 4 



28 h. 



68 h. 



40 h. 







VII. 



878 „ 3 



82 h. 



124 h. 



44 k 



Left iliac artery 



In less than 49 h., and | 



VIII. 



490 „ 3 



52 h. 



94 h. 



42 h. 



was tied. 



in more than 38 h. 



IX. 



292 „ 2 



21 h. 



75 h. 



54 h. 







X. 



212 „ 15 



48 h. 



104 h. 



56 h. 







XL 

 XII. 



400 „ 2 

 460 „ 2 



34 h. (nearly) 

 80 h. 



74 h. 

 120 h. 



40 h. (about) 

 40 h. 







XIII. 



620 „ 2 



45 h. 



88 h. 



43 h. 



Left iliac artery 

 was tied. 



44 h. 8 m. 



XIV 



690 „ 3 



50 h. 6 ni. 



72 h. 



22 h. (nearly) 



Left iliac artery 

 was tied. 



In less than 24 h., and 

 in more than 19 h. 



XV. 



1 



620 „ 5 



It. 34 m. 



33 h. 



32 h. 26 m. 



Right iliac artery 

 was tied. 



In less than 33 h., and 

 in more than 29 h. 



