12 BULLETIN 405, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 7 
a) 
of the heart, hence they are probably not muscular. Further, when 
the heart is quickened by large doses, electric stimulation of the 
vagus has but little effect. The drug may therefore be said first to 
stimulate and then depress the vagus end mechanism. It may a 
a similar action on the vagus center. 
Strength of the heart. Ts is affected only by rather large doses, 
_but it is then always depressed. Experiment 87 shows that the life 
may be kept up with a complete vasomotor paralysis, if the heart 
beats well. This tends to show that the stoppage of the heart, which 
forms the final cause of death, must be due to paralysis of its muscles. 
This is confirmed by the fact that it can not be revived by injection 
of normal saline. | 
Convulsions.—Convulsions were observed in but two of the five 
cases. This may be due to the anesthetic or to the difficulty of 
securing proper dosage. When observed, however, they preceded 
respiratory distress and were not connected with any change in 
blood pressure, so that it seems that they are produced by a direct’ 
central action. . 
Skeletal muscle—The existence of convulsions in the last stages, as 
well as the result of stimulation of peripheral and of the sciatic, chow 
that muscle and nerve are not paralyzed. | 
Cause of death—The followmg vital functions are eventually : 
paralyzed by the lupine: Respiratory center; vasomotor center; 
cardiac muscle; the last named being the last to become paralyzed ; 
and being the faa cause of death. t 
SUMMARY. 
The results of the investigations are in many respects incomplete * 
and emphasize the need of a more exhaustive chemical and pharma- — 
cological study of the American lupines. They have shown, how- — 
ever, that these lupines contain alkaloids which are toxic or fatal ifa 
sufficient quantity of the plant is consumed, but which are harmless 7 
if the consumption is below a certain limit. Up to this point the 
lupines may be a useful food if due precautions are observed that the ; 
limits are not surpassed. These alkaloids could also be largely © 
removed by leaching with water. The ictrogen, which is especially — 
feared in Europe, was not found in any of the American samples. It © 
would be of great-importance to determine whether this ictrogen is — 
uniformly absent, for if it is not, much more stringent precautions — 
would be necessary. : 
CONCLUSIONS. , 
1. Feeding with the lupines does not produce any symptoms in ~ 
rabbits and guinea pigs, as a sufficient quantity is not taken in this 
manner. } 
2. The injection of extracts, by stomach or skin, is fatal if suffi- 
ciently large doses are used. : 
