958 DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 



stomach and rectum. In the pharmacological portion of the preliminary papers above 

 referred to it was shown that — 1. " Strophanthus acts primarily upon the heart, and 

 produces, as a final result of this action, paralysis of that organ with permanence of the 

 ventricular systole." Experiments were quoted to support the view that it " acts in a 

 powerful and direct manner upon the cardiac muscular fibre, greatly prolonging, in the 

 first place, the contraction of these fibres, and ultimately rendering it continuous, and 

 only to be overcome when relaxation occurs as a natural consequence of post-mortem 

 decomposition" (p. 148); and that in frogs this action on the heart is independent of 

 any influence exerted through the cerebro-spinal nervous system, as it occurs after 

 destruction of the brain and spinal cord, and after division or paralysis by atropine, of 

 the vagi nerves. It is added that sufficient data had not been obtained to warrant the 

 assertion that no action is exerted upon the intra-cardiac ganglia (p. 149). 2. "Pul- 

 monary respiration continues in cold-blooded animals for several minutes after the heart 

 is paralysed. 3. The striped muscles of the body are acted upon, twitches occur in 

 them, their tonicity is exaggerated, and, finally, their functional activity is destroyed, 

 the muscles being then hard, and, soon afterwards, acid in reaction. These changes are 

 accomplished subsequently to the final effect on the heart. They are the result of direct 

 contact of the substance with the muscles themselves, and are independent of the action 

 on the heart, as well as of any changes that occur in the physiological condition of the 

 cerebro-spinal nervous system. 4. The reflex function of the spinal cord is suspended 

 soon after the heart is paralysed, but the motor conductivity of the spinal cord and of 

 the nerve trunks continues after the striped muscles are paralysed. 5. The lymph 

 hearts of the frog continue to contract for many minutes after the blood heart has been 

 paralysed." 



The papers also contain a description of the botanical source and distribution of the 

 arrow-poison and of some of the characters of the plant from which it is obtained, especially 

 of its follicles and seeds, and of the more important of the chemical constituents of the 

 seeds. It is also stated that the seeds contain a large quantity of an inert fixed oil and 

 an active principle of crystalline form, for which, in accordance with the terminology at 

 the time adopted in this country to distinguish neutral or glucosidal active principles 

 from alkaloids, the name Strophanthin, characterising a glucoside, was proposed. This 

 strophanthin was further stated to act in the same way as the extract from the seeds 

 (p. 142). 



In the interval of fifteen years that elapsed between the publication of my preliminary 

 papers and of the communication to the British Medical Association, in which the thera- 

 peutic uses and value of Strophanthus were pointed out (1870-1885), only two papers 

 were published on Strophanthus.* 



* In 1870, however, M. Legros, at meetings of the Societe de Biologie, on the 14th and 21st of May, exhibited 

 frogs under the influence of the Inee poison derived from arrows used at the Gaboon, in order to show that 

 the heart is arrested by it, with the ventricle in systole ; and at the latter meeting, M. Bert stated that he had 

 observed similar effects in cats under the influence of the same poison (Comptes Rendus de la Socie'te' de Biologie, 1870, 

 pp. 81 and 84). 





