544 DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN 



Atropia administered before Physostigma. — The nature of this influence when 

 atropia is administered before physostigma is shown by the following experi- 

 ments : — 



Experiment 41-a. — In a rabbit weighing two pounds and fifteen and a half 

 ounces, it was found that the number of the cardiac impulses was 40 in ten 

 seconds, and of the respirations 12 in ten seconds, and that the pupils measured 

 J£ths x ^§ths of an inch. 



Three-tenths of a grain of sulphate of atropia, dissolved in 30 minims of dis- 

 tilled water, was injected under the skin of the left flank. In two minutes and 

 thirty seconds thereafter, the pupils measured £§ths x |-£-ths of an inch ; and in 

 four minutes, the cardiac impulse occurred 54 times in ten seconds. 



Five minutes after the injection of sulphate of atropia, one grain and a fifth 

 of extract of physostigma, suspended in 25 minims of distilled water, was injected 

 under the skin at the right flank ; and, immediately afterwards, the syringe was 

 washed out with 15 minims of distilled water, and this solution injected under 

 the skin at the right hip— the whole operation lasting thirty seconds. 



In two minutes after the total dose of physostigma had been injected, the 

 pupils measured ^-Jths x ^£ths of an inch, and infrequent fibrillary twitches were 

 occurring at the right flank and hip. In nine minutes, the rabbit became rest- 

 less, having been perfectly quiet until now, and the pupils measured ^§ths by 

 |f ths of an inch. Soon afterwards, fibrillary twitches were occurring generally 

 over the surface of the rabbit, some unsteadiness was apparent in the move- 

 ments, and often slight tremblings took place, especially marked in the head. In 

 fifteen minutes, the fibrillary twitchings were more frequent and more strongly 

 marked, so that it was difficult to distinguish the cardiac impulse, but it ap- 

 peared to occur about 46 times in the ten seconds. In twenty-six minutes, the 

 general symptoms had become slightly aggravated, as a normal posture was 

 maintained only with difficulty ; the arching of the back becoming gradually 

 less prominent, and the head drooping a little. At the same time the fibrillary 

 twitches had become more marked, so that the skin of the whole surface of 

 the animal was in constant movement, and occasionally a weak spasmodic 

 start occurred. In thirty-seven minutes, the head had so far subsided as to 

 permit the chin to rest on the floor, but this latter posture was maintained for 

 only a few minutes, and was succeeded by a more natural one in which the head 

 was raised. In fifty-seven minutes, the rabbit was in a normal sitting attitude, 

 and the chief symptom was well marked universal fibrillary twitching. The 

 pupils measured ^§ths x ^§ths of an inch, the cardiac impulse was at the rate of 

 41 in the ten seconds, and the respirations 16 in the ten seconds. In one hour 

 some urine was voided, and three minutes afterwards a considerable quantity 

 of pultaceous and wet faeces was passed. In one hour and sixteen minutes, 

 slight mucous sounds, apparently originating in the larynx, were heard during 

 the respirations, and faeces having the unnatural appearance above described 



