568 DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN 



In nine minutes, the dog lay down, but almost at once rose again, though with 

 great difficulty; and now frothy saliva escaped from the mouth. In ten 

 minutes, it was lying extended on the floor, with the head resting on the lower 

 jaw. In eleven minutes, the head fell on the side, starts frequently occurred, 

 the respirations were gasping, laboured, and obstructed by mucus, and well- 

 marked fibrillary twitchings were present, which involved the whole surface 

 of the animal, and seemingly the deeper muscles also. In thirteen minutes, the 

 animal was altogether on the side, in a flaccid state. In fifteen minutes, the 

 heart's contractions occurred at the rate of only 4 in ten seconds, and so long 

 were the intervals between the feeble respiratory gasps that more than once it 

 was thought to be dead. This event, however, did not occur until two minutes 

 afterwards, or seventeen minutes after the commencement of the administration 

 of physostigmia. 



In the two next experiments, atropia and physostigma were injected nearly 

 simultaneously. 



Experiment 53-a. — A vigorous English terrier dog, weighing ten pounds, 

 received, by subcutaneous injection, eight grains of sulphate of atropia, dissolved 

 in 80 minims of distilled water, and immediately afterwards, three grains of 

 extract of physostigma, suspended in forty minims of distilled water. These 

 injections, as well as those subsequently made, by which the washings of the 

 syringes were introduced under the skin, occupied altogether two minutes. 



The chief symptoms that appeared were dilatation of the pupils, partial 

 paralysis, frequent vomiting, and hypnotism. Of these, the first continued for 

 several days, and the two last for less than twenty-four hours. The partial 

 paralysis was nearly completely recovered from in forty minutes, after which, 

 the dog was in a perfectly normal condition, except that the pupils were in full 

 dilatation and that a tendency to sleep was manifested. 



Experiment 53-b. — Three weeks afterwards, this dog being now ten pounds 

 and two ounces in weight, received, by subcutaneous injection, eight grains of 

 sulphate of atropia, and immediately afterwards six grains of extract of 

 physostigma. 



Dilatation of the pupils and considerable loss of motor power were again 

 produced, but no vomiting occurred. In addition to these symptoms, however, 

 certain others appeared that were undoubtedly due to physostigma poisoning, 

 such as tremors and exaggerated bronchial and salivary secretions. The 

 paralysis and tremors continued for more than three hours, and the dilatation 

 of the pupils for several days, after which the dog perfectly regained its former 

 condition. 



Experiment 53-c. — Fifteen days after the second of these experiments, this 

 dog, being in every respect in a normal condition, received, by subcutaneous in- 

 jection, three grains of extract of physostigma — a dose equal to that from which 





