160 DRS CRUM BROWN AND FRASER ON THE CONNECTION BETWFEN 



water, tastes like the iodide, and gives the usual strychnia-reaction with oxidising 

 agents. 



As had been anticipated, it is much more active than the iodide. One grain, 

 dissolved in water, and injected under the skin of a small rabbit, caused its death 

 in eighteen minutes. Half-a-grain, however, produced no effect. When eight- 

 tenths of a grain was similarly administered, the following symptoms were pro- 

 duced, but death did not result. 



Experiment XXIII. — Eight-tenths of a grain of sulphate of methyl-strychnium, 

 dissolved in a few minims of distilled water, was injected into the subcutaneous 

 tissue over the abdomen of a rabbit, weighing three pounds and three and a-half 

 ounces. It caused no immediate uneasiness, and the animal was unaffected for 

 about twenty-five minutes, after which, however, it became restless. In twenty- 

 eight minutes, movements of the limbs were made with obvious difficulty, and the 

 rabbit occasionally stumbled. In twenty-nine minutes, the limbs could no longer 

 support the body, and a position was assumed in which the rabbit lay on the abdo- 

 men with the chin resting on the table. It was now perfectly flaccid, and remained 

 on the side when so placed. There was no evidence of exaggeration in the reflex 

 motor function ; indeed, an extremely violent stimulus was required to produce even 

 a faint reflex movement. In thirty-two minutes, slight quiverings occurred, and 

 the respirations were laboured, and at the rate of sixty-eight per minute. This 

 condition continued until one hour after the administration, and during all this 

 time consciousness seemed unaffected, and sensibility was not lost, as was shown 

 by stimulation of the conjunctiva or cornea causing movements of the eyelids. 

 Repeated efforts were, however, now made to recover a normal posture, and the 

 frequency of the respirations increased. In one hour and eleven minutes, the 

 head was raised from the table ; and in eleven minutes afterwards, the rabbit 

 succeeded in rising on its feet and maintained itself thus, though at first some- 

 what unsteadily. In one hour and twenty-two minutes, all the symptoms had 

 disappeared. The rabbit was perfectly well on the following morning. 



The sequence of symptoms to a fatal termination, and the post mortem appear- 

 ances, are well shown in the experiment where one grain was exhibited (Experi- 

 ment XXV.). 



Experiment XXV. — We dissolved one grain of sulphate of methyl-strych- 

 nium in fifteen minims of distilled water, and injected this solution into the sub- 

 cutaneous tissue of a rabbit, weighing two pounds and fourteen ounces. In eleven 

 minutes, the first symptom, unsteadiness, appeared. In twelve minutes, the rabbit 

 was lying on the abdomen and chest, with the lower jaw resting on the table. There 

 were no voluntary movements ; strong irritation caused feeble reflex movements 

 only, and the respirations were shallow and laboured, and at the rate of sixty per 

 minute. In sixteen minutes, quivering movements of the chest and abdomi- 

 nal muscles occurred, from which it was nearly impossible to distinguish the 



