360 DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 



frog on the back, and although, at first, the frog is able, after a little delay, to turn, 

 it afterwards cannot do so, and remains motionless on the back. If the oppor- 

 tunity given b} r the condition of paralysis be taken advantage of to examine the 

 precordial region, the most careful examination fails to discover any cardiac impact. 

 Reflex movements are yet obtained, but, by and by, they also disappear, and nearly 

 .simultaneously with their disappearance, or soon thereafter, stimulation of a motor nerve 

 or of a muscle is not followed by any muscular contraction. If the heart be now 

 exposed, it is generally found to be altogether motionless ; but in some of the experi- 

 ments with such doses as are here referred to, both or one of the auricles, or the sinus 

 venosus only, were still contracting. The ventricle is small, and either entirely pale or 

 mottled, and the auricles are large and dark. When altogether motionless, the heart 

 fails to respond to galvanic or other stimulation ; and its muscular substance, in a short 

 time, acquires an acid reaction. The skeletal muscles also soon become hard and 

 acid ; and general rigor sets in at an unusually early period after death. 



Summary of General Effects in Rabbits. — When a similar lethal dose is given to a 

 rabbit, restless movements also at first occur. In a short time, fibrillary twitches are seen ; 

 at first, in the region of injection and at long intervals ; but, afterwards, over the whole 

 surface of the animal, incessantly, and with increasing coarseness and strength, so that 

 even spasmodic contractions may be produced in the limbs. The rate of the respiratory 

 movements is diminished. Expiration acquires an abrupt character, the respirations then 

 become shallow and irregular, and inspiration as well as expiration is brief and abrupt. 

 The heart's action also becomes reduced in frequency and strength, but the changes that 

 occur cannot be well appreciated. Bye and bye, the thoracic extremities assume a 

 position of continuous extension, but they soon become feeble, and their weakness as well 

 as that of the neck and other muscles allows the head every now and then to sink to the 

 table, until it can no longer be raised, and the head and thorax rest on the table. The 

 arching of the back afterwards yields, and soon the animal lies quietly extended on the 

 side. This quietness, associated with very infrequent and shallow respirations, and with 

 slow and feeble cardiac impacts, is, after a time, interrupted by a few spasms, generally 

 of the head and limbs only, but sometimes of the trunk also ; the pupils, which had 

 previously become slightly contracted, now widely dilate ; the eyeball becomes insensi- 

 tive ; and death occurs. In only a few experiments were the bowels and bladder 

 evacuated before death. 



After death, the pupils at first become smaller and they afterwards again dilate. If 

 the heart be exposed immediately after death, it is found, apparently in accordance with 

 the dose, either to be contracting feebly or to be at complete standstill. In the 

 latter case, one contraction or a number of successive contractions follow each mechanical 

 or galvanic stimulation; but soon the heart ceases to respond to stimulation, and in a 

 short time its muscle is found to be acid in reaction. Very rarely spontaneous fibrillar) 

 twitches of the heart's muscle have been observed. The right side of the heart is usually 

 distended with blood, and, especially with large lethal doses, the left ventricle contains 



