DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 41 7 



5.26. Fourth application of strophanthin solution, J minim (0-00025 grain). 



6.5. Heart's contractions 3 per 30 sec. ; pauses for 10 or 12 sec. in extreme diastole of the ventricle ; 



nearly regular, but occasionally 2 auricular for 1 ventricular contraction. 



6.6. Applied to heart - 003 grain of sulphate of atropine in solution. 



6.8. Heart's contractions 3 per 30 sec. Pauses in extreme ventricular diastole, systole strong and complete. 



6.21. Do. do. 

 6.38. Heart's contractions 2 per 30 sec. do. 

 6.41. Do. do. 



6.50. Heart's contractions usually 2 per 30 sec, but now and then 5 or 6 per 30 sec. Pauses in extreme 



diastole of ventricle, but systole is complete. 

 On the following day, at 



2.0 p.m. Heart's contractions 6 per 30 sec. Pauses in extreme ventricular diastole. 



2.5. Vagus exposed and isolated. 



2.30. Vagus stimulated with induced interrupted currents from a Daniell's cell and Du Bois Reymond's 



coil ; no cardiac inhibition was produced with the secondary at 80, 50, 10, or 5 mm. ; and slight 



acceleration of the heart followed each vagus stimulation. 

 2.45 and 3.0. Do. do. 



3.25 and 3.45. Heart's contractions 6 per 30 sec. 



4.3. Heart irregular and occasionally pauses for 30 sec. in extreme ventricular diastole. 

 4.8. Cardiograph applied. 

 4.16. Tracing No. 1. 



4.18. Fifth application of strophanthin solution, J minim ( = 0-00025 grain). 

 4.45. Tracing No. 2. Pauses in extreme diastole of ventricle. 

 5.20. Tracing No. 3. Do. 



5.22, Removed cardiograph. 



5.25. Ventricle at standstill in almost extreme diastole for more than a minute. 



5.30. A few, 9 or 10, contractions of heart ; then standstill of auricles and ventricle for 4 mim, during 

 which ventricle large and dark ; then a few contractions, the latter with longer intervals between 

 them than the former ; and then standstill of all chambers for 5 min. 



5.40. During standstill slight mechauical irritation is followed by several good contractions, with gradually 

 increasing intervals, until contractions cease with the heart large and dark. 



5.47. During a series of excited contractions each vagus was stimulated with galvanism, but no cardiac 

 inhibition resulted, even when the secondary coil was at 0. 



5.58. During a lengthened standstill of the heart, mechanical irritation, even when strong, of the ventricle 

 and auricles of the heart failed to cause any contraction ; but, nevertheless, spontaneous con- 

 tractions again occurred in series of 6 or 8 contractions which were rhythmical, and attended 

 with strong ventricular systole and large diastole. 



6.0 to 6.15. Do. do. A series of 6 or 8 spontaneous contractions occur every 5 or 6 min., and each 

 series is followed by a long standstill with the ventricle in diastole. 

 On the third day, at 



4.0 p.m. The ventricle was motionless, and of medium size and moderately dark ; while the auricles were 

 contracting regularly 2 per 30 sec. 



While the first of these two experiments (CXXI.) merely illustrates the inability of 

 atropine to prevent systolic arrestment of the ventricle by Strophanthus, the second 

 experiment (CXXII.) is peculiarly instructive, not only because it gives further evidence 

 of the inability of atropine to remove the already produced diastolic type of change in 

 the heart's action, but also because it gives illustrations of this type of change after 

 demonstration of the existence of atropine paralysis of the cardio-inhibitory function of 

 the vagus. 



The experiments in which atropine was administered, either before or after Stroph- 



