DE THOMAS E. FEASEE ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 357 



in this ventricle for thirty minutes. At 21 min. after death, even strong galvanic 

 stimulation, applied to the sciatic nerve or the gluteal muscles, failed to produce any 

 effect, and the pupils were no longer dilated. At 26 min. after death, with the excep- 

 tion of the fibrillary twitches, the heart was motionless ; slight irritation, however, 

 was followed by a faint contraction of one or other of the auricles, but the ventricles 

 remained motionless. Intestinal peristalsis still continued. 



Experiment XXXV. — In a rabbit, weighing 3 lbs. 12 oz., before the administration 

 of strophanthin, the respirations were 20, and the cardiac impacts 29, per 10 sec, and the 

 pupils measured |-§ths of an inch in diameter. 0*02 grain of strophanthin, dissolved in 

 4 minims of distilled water, was injected under the skin at the left flank. In 4 min., the 

 rabbit became restless, and the respirations were 26, and the cardiac impacts 31, per 10 sec. 

 In 10 min., restless movements continued, and the respirations were 20, and the cardiac 

 impacts 24, per 10 sec. In 20 min., spontaneous fibrillary twitches of muscles were 

 observed at the flanks ; and the respirations were 25, and the cardiac impacts 24, per 10 

 sec. In 22 min., frequent movements of the mouth occurred, as if the rabbit were rapidly 

 chewing. In 26 min., the respirations were 20, and the cardiac impacts 24, per 10 sec. 

 Expiration was now abrupt, and the pupils measured -^ths of an inch. For some 

 minutes the rabbit had been sitting quietly in a normal posture. In 35 min., the twitches 

 had become more general and stronger, and, especially in the gluteal muscles, each twitch 

 involved more of the muscle than formerly. Expiration continued abrupt, and the 

 respirations were 21, and the cardiac impacts 28, per 10 sec. In 45 min., the neck muscles 

 had become weak, and the head was frequently rested on the table. Whenever an 

 attempt was made to raise the head, a number of tremors of the head, and even of the 

 shoulders and thoracic extremities, were excited. In 50 min., the respirations were 9, 

 and the cardiac impacts 22, per 10 sec, and the pupils measured ^|ths of an inch. In 

 42 min., after some general tremors, the rabbit rested on the side ; some dry faecal pellets 

 were passed ; the conjunctiva and cornea were still sensitive ; and the pupils measured 

 ^-jjths of an inch. In 53 min., the respirations, still laboured and shallow, were 11, and 

 the cardiac impacts, now very weak, were 12, per 10 sec. In 56 min., the respirations 

 occurred only at long intervals, and were very shallow, and the cardiac impacts were 

 weak and irregular, and at the rate of 6 per 10 sec. The pupils measured J^ths of an 

 inch. Occasional tremulous movements occurred in the thoracic extremities, with local 

 spasms in the lumbar region, frequently involving the pelvic extremities, and apparently 

 caused by exceptionally strong and large twitches of the muscles. In the intervals the 

 rabbit lay flaccid on the side. In 59 min., the conjunctiva and cornea were insensitive ; 

 the pupils measured -j§ths of an inch ; weak and scarcely distinguishable cardiac impacts 

 appeared to be occurring at the rate of 4 per 10 sec ; a few twitches occurred at the 

 mouth ; and respiration altogether ceased, and the rabbit lay motionless and flaccid on 

 the side. In 60 min., the pupils measured ioths of an inch. 



After death, at 5 min., the exposed heart was found to be feebly and irregularly 

 contracting, with twitch- like movements, at the rate of 5 per 10 sec. ; but at 6 min. after 



