158 DRS CRUM BROWN AND FRASER ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN 



cavity in the subcutaneous cellular tissue. In this way, by a series of pro- 

 gressively increasing doses, it was found that as much as twelve grains could be 

 given to a rabbit, weighing three pounds and four ounces, without any effect what- 

 ever. Fifteen grains, however, produced serious symptoms, though followed by 

 recovery, and death was caused by the exhibition of twenty grains. Short 

 abstracts of the majority of the experiments will be found in the table at the end 

 of this paper ; we shall, however, give some details of several experiments, in 

 order to illustrate the mode of action. 



Experiment VII. — Two very small incisions were made through the skin, one 

 in either flank, of a rabbit, weighing three pounds and eight ounces ; and by in- 

 serting an aneurism needle into these incisions, two cavities were formed in the 

 cellular tissue. Into each of these we injected seven and a-half grains of iodide 

 of methyl -strychnium (in all fifteen grains), suspended and dissolved in warm 

 distilled water. No effect was caused until forty-five minutes, when the rabbit 

 moved about uneasily, the limbs gradually yielded, and it soon lay on its chin 

 and abdomen. When placed on the side, it remained quiet, without any efforts 

 to recover a normal posture. Irritation did not cause any spasm nor give the 

 slightest evidence of any increase in the reflex excitability. In one hour, when 

 lifted by the ears, it hung in a perfectly flaccid and unresisting condition ; the 

 respirations were sixty-four per minute; and there were no voluntary move- 

 ments. In one hour and thirteen minutes, a few spontaneous movements 

 occurred in the limbs, but these, apparently, were merely feeble efforts to change 

 its position. The external temperature appeared to be somewhat elevated, and 

 the respirations were sixty-five per minute. In an hour and twenty-two minutes, 

 a few twitches of the body, and especially of the abdominal muscles, occurred 

 during the respiratory movements, which were now at the rate of sixty-six per 

 minute ; the eyelids did not contract when the conjunctiva or cornea was touched; 

 but the animal was still conscious. In two hours, the condition was nearly the 

 same as at last note, except that faint twitches of the eyelids could be excited by 

 gentle irritation of their edges. In two hours and fifteen minutes, a number of 

 very feeble spasmodic-like movements of the limbs occurred along with the 

 twitches of the body, and these could also be excited by irritation. In two hours 

 and thirty-five minutes, the condition of the rabbit had greatly improved. 

 Efforts to rise were frequently made, in the intervals between which it lay 

 perfectly quiet and flaccid, and the sensibility of the conjunctiva and cornea 

 appeared to be normal. 



The observations were now stopped until the following morning, when the 

 rabbit was found jumping actively about, and apparently in a perfectly normal 

 condition. 



Experiment VIII. — We injected ten grains of iodide of methyl-strychnium, 

 suspended and dissolved in warm distilled water, into each of two subcutaneous 



