THE ACTIONS OF PHYSOSTIGMA AND ATROPIA. 573 



succeeded each other at short intervals. In twelve minutes, the respirations 

 were laboured, and at the rate of 15 in ten seconds, the cardiac contractions 

 occurred 34 times in ten seconds, and the pupils measured only i^J-ths x 5 9 oths 

 of an inch. The respiratory embarrassment soon became much greater, and 

 at the same time the general paralysis increased ; until, in twenty-one minutes, 

 only laboured, gasping and noisy respirations took place, the rabbit fell over 

 on the side, the pupils contracted to 5%ths x ^ths of an inch, and the cardiac 

 contractions were weak, and occurred only 12 times in ten seconds. At 

 twenty-three minutes after the administration of physostigma, the rabbit was 

 dead. 



This method of administration was followed in the next experiment like- 

 wise. 



Experiment 56-a. — Having exposed one of the external facial veins on 

 the left side of a rabbit, weighing three pounds and two ounces, I injected 

 under the skin, at the left flank, one grain and three-fifths of extract of 

 physostigma, mixed with 15 minims of distilled water. 



Five minutes afterwards, I injected into the exposed and dissected vein a 

 forty-fifth of a grain of sulphate of atropia, dissolved in 8 minims of distilled 

 water. The vein was then ligatured, the wound closed with silk sutures, and 

 the rabbit set free from the Czermak's holder by which it had been secured. 



In nine minutes after the injection of sulphate of atropia, the rabbit was 

 lying on the abdomen and chest, frequent fibrillary twitches were occurring over 

 the whole surface, the pupils were dilated, and the cardiac action was abnormally 

 frequent. In twenty-three minutes, it rose and went about, though somewhat 

 unsteadily. From this time, the general condition of the rabbit steadily im- 

 proved, until, in one hour and thirty minutes, there were no symptoms present 

 except pupillary dilatation, abnormal frequency of cardiac action, and slight 

 fibrillary twitches. During the experiment, there had not been any obvious 

 increase in the secretions of the salivary, bronchial, or lachrymal glands ; nor 

 did defalcation or urination take place until more than two hours and fifteen 

 minutes after the experiment had been commenced. 



Experiment 56-b. — The rabbit that had formed the subject of the preceding 

 experiment received, eight days afterwards, one grain and three-tenths of extract 

 of physostigma, suspended in a few minims of distilled water. At this time the 

 weight of the rabbit was three pounds and four ounces. 



In nine minutes after the injection of the extract, the rabbit was lying on the 

 abdomen and chest, affected with pretty severe tremors, and breathing some- 

 what rapidly and noisily. In fourteen minutes, the pupils were contracted, and 

 the respirations were laboured and embarrassed by an accumulation in the 

 mouth of mucus and saliva, while the cardiac contractions were occurring 

 infrequently. By this time, also, a considerable quantity of soft and pultaceous 



VOL. XXVI. PART III. 7 K 



