360 SIR THOMAS R. FRASER AND MR ALISTER T. MACKENZIE ON 



to twitch. On section at this time of the ventricles, neither cavity was found to be 

 contracted, both contained dark fluid blood, and there were no clots in them. The 

 abdominal and thoracic organs were healthy. 



Notwithstanding the prolonged subjection to a high temperature, this extract re- 

 mained active. There were, however, some modifications in the symptoms which 

 appear to indicate that the activity of the extract was lessened, and this is supported 

 by the fact that death supervened at a considerably longer time after the administration 

 than occurs with equal or even considerably smaller lethal doses of the unheated 

 extract. The exposure to a high temperature, which occurs in the preparation of the 

 native arrow-poison, therefore, probably lessens the lethal activity of the products of 

 & sai^mentosus seeds that enter into its composition. 



(3) Cats. 



In experiments upon cats, the observations are necessarily incomplete owing to the 

 restlessness and irritability developed in these animals. The general symptoms that 

 were observed are illustrated in the following experiment. 



Experiment XXXIX. — 0'00446 gram of extract was injected subcutaneously into 

 the left flank of a male cat, weighing 2230 grams ( = 0*002 gram per kilogram, and 

 equivalent to the minimum-lethal dose). Before the injection, the respirations were 

 12 per 10 seconds and regular, and the pupils were semi-contracted. Five minutes after 

 the injection, the cat was restless and frequently licked the site of injection. Twelve 

 minutes after the injection, the respirations were 14 per 10 seconds and regular, and 

 the cat was still restless. Fifteen minutes after the injection, faeces were passed. Twenty 

 minutes after the injection, the cat was licking its lips and mewing ; and immediately 

 after this it was very sick and vomited a large amount of dark brown semi-solid matter. 

 Twenty-one minutes after the injection, vomiting again occurred, the vomited matter 

 being dark brown and more fluid. Twenty -two minutes after the injection, the cat 

 retched about a dozen times, and then vomited a small quantity of dark brown fluid 

 matter. Twenty-five minutes after the injection, the respirations appeared to be 8 per 

 10 seconds, deep and irregular in time; the cat retched 9 times and then vomited a 

 small quantity of dark brown fluid. Twenty-nine minutes after the injection, the cat 

 retched but did not vomit. Thirty-two minutes after the injection, the cat vomited 

 clear frothy fluid after retching for some time, and this was repeated 35 minutes after 

 injection. Retching occurred and clear frothy fluid was vomited 39, 45 and 55 minutes 

 after injection. One hour after the injection, the respirations were 6 per 10 seconds, 

 the cardiac impacts appeared to be 38 per 10 seconds and regular, and the thorax 

 and abdomen rested on the floor. One hour 5 minutes after the injection, the cat 

 was lying on the right side. One hour 10 minutes after the injection, the animal was 

 still on the right side, and retched frequently ; and the respirations varied from 6 to 20 

 per 10 seconds. One hour 12 minutes after the injection, the pupils dilated widely; 

 the conjunctiva became insensitive ; a single gasping respiration occurred, no cardiac 



