470 DR T. R. FRASER ON SOME UNDESCRIBED TETANIC SYMPTOMS 



excited severe and prolonged general tetanus, which affected both posterior extre- 

 mities equally. 



On the fifth day, the right posterior extremity was continuously rigid; but 

 for other three days tetanic convulsions could be excited, in which the whole of 

 the body except the right (non-poisoned) posterior extremity was involved. 



Experiment XLVI. — The right sciatic artery and veins were ligatured in a 

 frog, weighing 315 grains, and immediately afterwards three-tenths of a grain of 

 sulphate of atropia, dissolved in four minims of distilled water, was injected under 

 the skin of the left flank. 



On the third day, rigid incurvation of the anterior extremities, and stiff exten- 

 sion of the right posterior extremity, had occurred. A faint touch of the skin of 

 any region caused a violent attack of tetanus; in which the right (non-poisoned) 

 posterior extremity was rigidly extended with the web stretched, for five seconds, 

 while the left was almost unaffected, merely becoming momentarily extended at 

 the commencement of the attack. 



On the fourth day, some rigor had appeared in the right posterior extremity ; 

 but general tetanus could be excited in all the other regions of the body. 



Experiment XLVII. — I tied the left sciatic artery and veins of a frog, weighing 

 211 grains, and then injected a solution of one-fifth of a grain of sulphate of 

 atropia, in six minims of distilled water, under the skin of the right flank. 



On the second day — twenty-two hours after the administration — general 

 tetanic convulsions could readily be excited by touching the skin in any region; 

 and both posterior extremities — poisoned as well as non-poisoned — were equally 

 involved in the convulsions. 



On the third* day— forty-seven hours after the administration — the left (non- 

 poisoned) posterior extremity was somewhat rigid, and took no part in the 

 convulsions. 



In the next experiment both the posterior extremities were protected from the 

 direct influence of the sulphate of atropia. 



Experiment XLVIII. — By excising the sacrum, I exposed the sacral nerves 

 and blood-vessels within the abdomen of a male frog, weighing 210 grains, and 

 then by passing a strong thread below these nerves, I firmly ligatured the 

 abdomen, including all its blood-vessels, but excluding the sacral nerves. After 

 this operative procedure, the frog retained an apparently normal control over the 

 movements of the posterior extremities. Three minutes afterwards, 1 injected 

 eleven-hundredths of a grain of sulphate of atropia, dissolved in four minims of 

 distilled water, under the skin at the left side of the thorax. 



On the following day — at twenty-one hours after the administration — the 

 frog was lying on the abdomen, with the anterior extremities flexed inwards and 

 supporting the head and chest, and with the posterior extremities normally flexed. 

 A slight touch of any portion of the skin was followed by ordinary reflex move- 



