546 DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN 



tremblings, was present, now and then somewhat severe tremors occurred, 

 fluid (salivary) was escaping from the mouth, soft and pultaceous faeces, wet 

 on the surface, but preserving the pellet shape, were being passed, and the pupils 

 measured i^jths x ^|ths of an inch. In fourteen minutes, the respiratory move- 

 ments were somewhat embarrassed, and accompanied with moist sounds, while 

 their frequency was diminished to about 10 in ten seconds. The head of the 

 animal was now lying on the table, the back was scarcely at all curved, 

 but the general tremors had almost disappeared, although the fibrillary 

 twitchings had rather increased in frequency. In seventeen minutes, 

 the rabbit fell over on the side. Only slight fibrillary twitchings were now 

 present ; the respirations were laboured, greatly impeded by mucus accumulated 

 in the mouth and larynx, and accompanied with struggling movements of the body 

 and limbs ; the pupils measured i^jths x A-^ths of an inch ; the cardiac impulse 

 was weak and infrequent ; frothy saliva was escaping from the mouth, and liquid 

 faeces were being passed at intervals. Very soon afterwards, the respiratory move- 

 ments became mere laboured gasps, the pupils still further diminished in size, 

 and general weak tremors succeeded each other. By-and-by it was a matter 

 of difficulty to distinguish any respiratory movement or cardiac impulse, and then, 

 at twenty-two minutes after the administration of the poison, death occurred. 



After death, fibrillary twitchings continued for more than twenty minutes, 

 and the first appearance of rigor was seen in thirty minutes, the extremities 

 having then become slightly stiff (temperature of laboratory, 63° F.). The post 

 mortem changes in the condition of the pupils were as follows : — at the moment 

 of death, they dilated to iHyths x |-§ths of an inch ; in one minute, they had con- 

 tracted to i^ths x £§ths; in two minutes, to ^jths x i^yths; in three minutes, 

 to g^ths x ^yths ; in four minutes, to g%ths x /oths ; in six minutes, to ^yths x 

 5 4 (jths ; and they continued at the last size until twenty-four minutes after 

 death, when they became dilated to g%ths x 5 5 o tns - O n the following day and 

 while strong general rigor was present, the pupils measured i^ths x ^-gths of 

 an inch. 



The influence of atropia on the lethal action of a much larger dose of the 

 extract was tested in the next experiment. 



Experiment 42-a — In a rabbit, weighing three pounds and four ounces, 

 preliminary observations showed that the average rapidity of the heart's action 

 was 42 in ten seconds ; and of the respiratory movements, 26 in ten seconds ; 

 and that the pupils measured ^ths x ^ths of an inch. 



A seventeen-hundredth of a grain of sulphate of atropia, dissolved in 30 

 minims of distilled water, was injected under the skin at the left flank. Two 

 minutes thereafter, the rate of the heart's action was 50 in ten seconds. In 

 four minutes, it had still further increased, having attained a rate of 54 in ten 

 seconds, while now the respiratory movements occurred 18 times in ten 



