DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 413 



remove these effects, nor prevent the development in the heart of changes characteristic 

 of the systolic type of action of Strophanthus. 



Experiment CXVII. — Weight of frog, 460 grains. 00005 grain of strophanthin 

 applied to heart, and afterwards 0'003 grain of atropine. 



12.48. Divided the cord at the base of the brain. 

 12.52 to 12.59. Heart's contractions 21 per 30 sec. 

 1.0. Applied to surface of heart 1 minim of solution of 0*05 grain strophanthin in 100 minims ( = 0O005 



grain). 

 1.1 to 1.6. Heart's contractions from 21 to 20 per 30 sec. 

 1.8 to 1.23. Heart's contractions from 19 to 15 per 30 sec. 

 1.24. Heart's contractions 14 per 30 sec. ; slightly irregular. 

 1.25 to 1.31. Heart's contractions 13 to 11 per 30 sec. 

 1.32. Heart's contractions 4 per 30 sec. Ventricle pauses in extreme diastole, during which several 



auricular contractions occur. 

 1.34. Heart's contractions 8 per 30 sec, irregular, and immediately after systole the ventricle occasionally 



"pouches" at its apex. 

 1.36. Ventricle motionless in extreme diastole for 50 sec. ; the auricular contractions are 18 per 30 



sec. 

 1.37 to 1.39. Heart's contractions irregular and non-synchronous; ventricle often at standstill for 40 sec. 



in extreme diastole, while auricular contractions are proceeding. "When the ventricle is motion- 

 less, general struggles usually cause a resumption of its contractions. 

 1.42 to 1.46. Ventricular contractions 2, and auricular 12, per 30 sec. Ventricular standstill is in 



extreme diastole. 

 1.47 to 1.49. Ventricle motionless in extreme diastole. Auricular contractions 12 per 30 sec. 

 1.49.30 to 2.3. Ventricular contractions from 2 to 3 per 30 sec; auricular contractions from 9 to 12 



per 30 sec. ; pauses of ventricle are in extreme diastole, and its systolic contractions, though 



brief, are powerful and complete. 

 2.5 to 2.15. Ventricle is motionless in extreme diastole, and notwithstanding occasional struggles. 



Auricles contract from 7 to 3 per 30 sec. 



2.20. Ventricle motionless since 2.5 ; now the auricles also have ceased to contract. 



2.21. Strong struggles, during which one ventricular contraction, followed by standstill in extreme 



diastole. 



2.22. Applied to the surface of the heart 0003 grain of sulphate of atropine in solution. 



2.23 to 2.27. Heart motionless, except on two occasions, when violent general struggles were followed by 



one or two feeble contractions of ventricle and auricles. 

 2.30. Struggles, during which only the auricles contracted. 



2.32. Struggles are no longer followed by contractions. The ventricle continues large and dark. 

 2.40 to 2.58. Do., but the ventricle, though still in marked diastole, has gradually become smaller. 

 2.59 to 3.17. Mechanical irritation of ventricle always produces a good contraction of it, succeeded by 



standstill in extreme diastole, but the diastole gradually and spontaneously becomes less extreme. 



Towards the end of this time, irritation of the auricles caused no movement, while irritation of 



the ventricle caused a good contraction, restricted to the ventricle. 

 5.15. Ventricle is now small and pale, and irritation causes no movement. 



In this Experiment the diastolic type predominated, and was not removed by the 

 application of atropine. Although the ventricle ultimately assumed a systolic condition, 

 this is explained, at least partly, by the frequent mechanical irritations which were 

 purposely applied to the heart after its standstill in diastole. 



