696 DRS CRUM BROWN AND FRASER ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN 



The special symptoms that were observed with these doses will be best described 

 by a short narration of each experiment. 



Experiment VII. — Two grains and a-half of iodide of methyl-atropium was 

 dissolved in fifty-five minims of slightly warm distilled water, and one-half of 

 the solution was injected under the skin at each flank of a rabbit, weighing three 

 pounds and thirteen ounces and a half. Before the administration, the pupils 

 measured -£-g- ths x -££ths of an inch, and at six minutes after it, the size of the 

 pupils had increased to l £ths x | g-ths of an inch. This was the first symptom 

 observed. At sixteen minutes, there was evident difficulty in retaining a normal 

 posture, and soon after the fore-legs yielded, and the rabbit lay on the chest, 

 with the lower jaw resting on the table. At twenty-four minutes, some uneasy 

 movements were executed, during which the body was pushed forward, in the 

 position last described, by the use of the posterior extremities alone. There was 

 now a succession of very slight fibrillary twitches of the muscles of the head, 

 body, and limbs. At fifty minutes, the rabbit lay altogether on the abdomen 

 and chest, with the lower jaw still resting on the table, and it was obvious that 

 the posterior extremities had become powerless like the anterior. The respira- 

 tions were now shallow and abdominal, at the rate of 68 per minute ; the 

 pupils were dilated to -£#ths x ^frthsj the common sensibility appeared to be 

 suspended ; and paralysis had so far advanced that the rabbit lay flaccid on the 

 abdomen and chest, with the head resting on the side. This condition continued 

 for about fifteen minutes, when the head was again raised from the side, and, for 

 short periods, even supported normally by the neck muscles. The S3 7 mptoms 

 then slowly disappeared until a normal condition w T as reassumed. 



Experiment VIII. — In this experiment, the rabbit weighed three pounds and 

 ten ounces, and it received, by injection under the skin of the two flanks, three 

 grains of iodide of methyl-atropium dissolved in sixty minims of slightly warm 

 distilled water. Dilatation of the pupils appeared in five minutes, and this symptom 

 was soon succeeded by trembling and unsteady movements. In fifteen minutes, 

 the head sunk until it rested on the chin ; and in twenty minutes, the paralysis 

 had become so severe that the limbs were unable to support the body. In twenty- 

 eight minutes, the respiratory movements had diminished in number to thirty- 

 four in the minute, while they had become laboured and abdominal in character. 

 The rabbit was now lying on the side in a completely flaccid state. In fifty-four 

 minutes, the respirations were so weak and shallow that it was somewhat difficult 

 to determine the rate of their occurrence. In fifty-six minutes, merely an occa- 

 sional gasp occurred, and this was frequently accompanied by weak, successive 

 tremors. In fifty-eight minutes, all movement ceased, and death took place. 



In the autopsy, it was found that, at three minutes after death, the conduc- 

 tivity of the motor nerves and the contractility of the muscles were retained ; and 

 that, at six minutes after death, the heart was motionless and distended. 



