OF THE CALABAR BEAN. 745 



50 minutes afterwards, cardiac contractions = 8 per min. 



1 -, _ q / The ventricular contraction is 



{ scarcely perceptible. 

 1 „ 5 min. „ are irregular ; there being three ventricular contrac- 



tions per minute, and six auricular. 



This irregularity continued for other ten minutes, and then became greater, only one con- 

 traction per minute, of the most feeble character, occurring in the ventricles for two and some- 

 times three in the auricles. During the period of inaction, the heart rested in diastole. 



1 hour 20 minutes after poisoning, cardiac contractions = per min. 



/ All the chambers con- 

 . n si tract > w ith long inter- 



I vals, and in a vermic- 

 l ular manner. 



1 j) 50 „ ,, ,, = 12 „ 



2 hours „ „ = 12 „ 



2 „ 10 „ „ „ =12 „ 



C Again irregular, and exactly as at 



3 „ 15 „ „ „ -\ one hour and five minutes after the 



v. poisoning. 

 3 „ 40 „ „ „ The irregularity was still further in- 



creased, the ventricles being occasionally quite motionless, in a dilated 

 condition, for one minute, while both auricles contracted six and some- 

 times eight times'. The contractions consisted merely of feeble wave-like 

 movements of the different chambers. The surface of the heart, and, still 

 more, the pericardium had for some time assumed a blue colour. 



"When the heart was again examined, twenty-two hours after poisoning, there was no spon- 

 taneous movement. It was then gently stimulated by an interrupted galvanic current, and a very 

 feeble contraction of all the chambers followed, which did not repeat itself, but which could be re- 

 produced by a renewal of the stimulation. For some time after these irritations, feeble and irregular 

 contractions occasionally occurred, one ventricle contracting, and, after several minutes, two or 

 three auricular movements following, but with considerable pauses. Forty-eight hours after 

 the administration, the heart was motionless, dark and dilated ; gentle galvanism produced no 

 effect, except that the ventricles became rather paler, but a moderate current caused a contrac- 

 tion of all its chambers, succeeded by perfect quiet. 



In sixty hours, the heart was pale and quiet, and no movement could be produced by 

 galvanism. Notwithstanding the paleness of its walls, the heart was not contracted, as its 

 chambers contained a considerable quantity of dark, fluid blood. The colour of its walls was, 

 therefore, due to contraction of their capillaries, caused either by the rigor of death, or, as I am 

 more inclined to believe, by the galvanic stimulation they had been so frequently subjected to. 

 At this time, all the muscles were stiff. 



Experiment XLIX. — {Temperature of Laboratory, 57° F.) 

 The average number of cardiac contractions in a frog, weighing 415 grains, was fifty-five 

 per minute. Two grains and a-half of extract, in fifteen minims of distilled water, were injected 

 into the subcutaneous tissue of each thigh (five grains altogether). 



2 minutes afterwards, cardiac contractions = 52 per min. 



4 „ „ =50 „ 



6 „ „ =24 „ 



8 „ = 10 „ 



10 „ ,, = 15 „ 



12 „ „ = 14 „ No chest respiratory movements. 



