THE ACTIONS OF PHYSOSTIGMA AND ATROPIA. 547 



seconds, and the pupils measured i=-§ths x ^fths of an inch. With these 

 exceptions, there were no appreciable symptoms present. 



Five minutes after the administration of atropia, I injected under the skin 

 at the right flank a mixture of three grains and nine-tenths of a grain of extract 

 of physostigma with 40 minims of distilled water ; and, afterwards, under the 

 skin at the right hip, the few drops of distilled water with which the syringe 

 was subsequently washed. In three minutes after the injection of the extract of 

 physostigma, the cardiac impulse occurred 58 times in ten seconds ; the pupils 

 measured ^-§-ths x ^-§ths of an inch, and infrequent and slight twitches were 

 present at the right flank and hip. In five minutes, the animal was some- 

 what restless, and the heart's rate was now 60 in ten seconds. In seven 

 minutes, the restlessness was accompanied by slight involuntary shaking of 

 the head ; and, soon after, a great increase took place in the frequency of 

 the fibrillary twitchings of the panniculus carnosus muscle over the whole 

 surface of the body. In ten minutes, some weakness was present in the 

 anterior extremities, and gentle tremors, brief in their continuance, occurred 

 whenever movements were made, or the animal was startled by any cause. 

 The weakness of the anterior extremities soon became so great that they were 

 unable to support the fore part of the body, and then the animal sank down 

 on the abdomen and chest. Several series of tremors followed this change of 

 posture ; and, on their termination, the head drooped until the lower jaw was 

 rested on the table. In fifteen minutes, this posture was still unchanged, 

 except that the arching of the back had disappeared. The cardiac impulse 

 occurred 61 times, and the respiratory movements 19 times, in ten seconds, 

 and the pupils measured ^fths x i^ths of an inch. This general condition 

 was maintained unchanged for about fifteen minutes, with the exception of a 

 marked decrease in the frequency of the fibrillary twitchings, and an unim- 

 portant diminution in the rate of the respiratory movements. Soon afterwards 

 the symptoms became more serious ; for in forty minutes the respiratory move- 

 ments occurred only thirteen times in ten seconds, and their character was 

 somewhat abnormal ; for not only were they weak, and almost entirely confined 

 to the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles, but the expiratory movements 

 were abrupt and slightly spasmodic. This depreciation in the character of the 

 respiratory movements appeared to cause considerable distress, as the animal 

 every now and then raised the head in an uneasy manner, notwithstanding that 

 there seemed to be great difficulty in doing so. At this time the heart's action 

 was at the rate of 57 in ten seconds. These symptoms continued for about one 

 hour and ten minutes, but at the end of this time a slight improvement was 

 manifested ; for, in two hours after the injection of physostigma, the respirations 

 had increased in rate to 12 in ten seconds, and had become almost normal in their 

 character. In two hours and thirty minutes, the improved state of the animal 



