THE ACTIONS OF PHYSOSTIGMA AND ATROPIA. 553 



measured ^§ths x 5 9 oths of an inch ; and now, for the first time, post mortem 

 rigidity had been initiated, slight stiffness being present in the posterior ex- 

 tremities (temperature of laboratory, 58° F.) 



It is very obviously shown by these experiments that the fatal action of 

 certain lethal doses of extract of physostigma, and sulphate of physostigmia, may 

 be prevented in rabbits by the previous administration of atropia. 



Atropia and Physostigma simultaneously administered. — In the two following 

 experiments, extract of physostigma and sulphate of atropia were administered 

 simultaneously, or nearly so, only an unavoidable interval of a few seconds in- 

 tervening between the administration of the two substances. 



Experiment 44-a. — In a rabbit that weighed three pounds and twelve 

 ounces, I injected under the skin of the left flank half a grain of sulphate of 

 atropia, dissolved in 15 minims of distilled water, and immediately after- 

 wards three grains of extract of physostigma, suspended in 28 minims of dis- 

 tilled water. Without any loss of time, the two syringes employed in these 

 injections were washed out with a few drops of distilled water, and the wash- 

 ings were separately injected under the skin at different regions. 



Except dilatation of the pupils and fibrillary twitches of the muscular struc- 

 ture beneath the skin, obvious symptoms were but slowly produced, and it 

 was not until eleven minutes after the injections had been finished that para- 

 lytic effects were produced. These effects, however, increased in severity some- 

 what quickly, and in fifteen minutes the rabbit fell over on the side, though it soon 

 turned again, and lay on the abdomen and chest with the back well arched. At 

 this time, the pupils were in full dilatation, fibrillary twitches occurred over the 

 whole surface of the animal, and faeces of normal consistence and colour were 

 passed, while now and again a spasmodic contraction of the abdominal muscles 

 accompanied the inspiratory movements. Unsuccessful efforts were frequently 

 made to raise the body on the limbs, and often resulted in the production of 

 general tremors, during which the rabbit several times fell over on the side. 

 This state of great muscular weakness, attended with well marked fibrillary 

 twitches of the panniculus carnosus muscle, and apparently also of muscles 

 more deeply situated, continued, without any improvement, until one hour and 

 ten minutes after the commencement of the experiment, when further observa- 

 tions were interrupted. 



On the following clay the general state of the rabbit appeared a perfectly 

 normal one. The pupils were, however, in full dilatation, and it was observed 

 that a large quantity of semi-liquicl faeces had been passed. 



On the third day the faeces that were passed were in every respect normal. 

 Dilatation of the pupils was still present, and this, the most persistent of the 

 symptoms, did not disappear until the sixth day. 



On the tenth day, the following experiment was performed ; the rabbit 



VOL. XXVI. PART III. 7 E 



