STROPHANTHUS SARMENTOSUS : ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION. 363 



takes place within a few minutes after the administration and may be repeated several 

 times afterwards. Restless movements also occur early, and the rabbit seems to become 

 more alert. The respiratory movements soon become irregular, and although their 

 rate is not distinctly affected, their type becomes abdominal. Spasmodic interruptions 

 of inspiration occasionally occur. Muscular weakness is displayed ; at first the anterior 

 extremities yield, but the rabbit can yet recover its position ; later, the thorax 

 rests continuously on the floor ; then the head begins to sink forward, at first 

 for brief periods only, but, afterwards, the muzzle rests continuously on the 

 tray and the back loses its convexity. Still later, the side of the head rests 

 on the tray and the rabbit falls over on to one side, and, finally, the animal 

 lies quietly extended on the side, breathing as if after exertion. Meantime the 

 cardiac impacts have been altering in character ; at first their rate is increased, the area 

 over which the impact is felt becomes larger and the force of the impact greater ; 

 later, the impacts become irregular in time and force, and as the irregularity becomes 

 more marked, they become very feeble, until finally they are impalpable. Thereafter, 

 general muscular spasms occur, and in some cases are very violent ; the pupils, which 

 have previously contracted slightly, now dilate rapidly, and the surface of the eyeballs 

 becomes insensitive ; and urine may be expelled during the spasms before death occurs. 

 After death, the pupils rapidly contract and then slowly dilate. If the heart be at once 

 exposed, it may be found to be contracting feebly or to be quite motionless ; and it may 

 still respond imperfectly to mechanical stimulation. The left ventricle may be firmly 

 contracted and pale, in which case the right ventricle is softer and much larger, while 

 the auricles are both large and dark. The ventricular muscle is acid in reaction to litmus 

 paper soon after death. The skeletal muscles respond to electrical stimulation if tested 

 immediately after death, and sometimes the response is better to direct stimulation than 

 to stimulation through their nerves. The skeletal muscles become acid to litmus soon 

 after the heart muscle. Only in one rabbit was an excessive salivary secretion 

 noticed, and in a few experiments slight muscular twitchings were seen in the muscles 

 of the neck and cheek. Faeces and urine were not passed in the majority of the 

 experiments. The rectal temperature was not materially affected till about the time 

 of death, when it fell rapidly. 



Summary of General Effects in Cats. 



With similar lethal doses, cats display almost the same symptoms as rabbits. The 

 condition of the heart after death and the reaction of the heart and skeletal muscles to 

 litmus paper are the same. The respirations appear to be slowed, but a symptom which 

 is very marked in cats, with sub-lethal as with lethal doses, makes it difficult to observe 

 the effects of the poison on the respiration and the circulation. This symptom is 

 vomiting. It appears soon after the injection. In fatal cases, it continues almost 

 without interruption until death supervenes, and in non-fatal cases until a short time 

 before the total disappearance of symptoms. 



