260 C. J. MARTIN, 
enfeeblement of the circulation contributes to the respiratory 
failure, and vice versa, and the simultaneous paralysis of the 
rest of the nervous system prevents in most cases any marked 
ls 
indication of its asphyxial condition. 
pa 
et ra Pa 
Details of experiments to ascertain the effect of the venom upon the 
respiratory mechanism. 
The experiments with this object were performed upon rabbits 
and dogs. The results were substantially identical with both — 
animals, but the former are much more suitable for the determin _ 
ation of this point, as their respiration is, under normal circuth- 
stances, more regular, and the individual respirations do not exhibit 
the same variations in amplitude as is the case with dogs, Hight 
experiments on dogs, in which the vagi were previously divided, 
were made. Of these, only two are here tabulated; the remaining 
six curves exhibit the same general characteristics as those tabu- 
lated, but the respiration both before and after the injection of 
the poison was so irregular, that although the general effect of the 
venom is clearly enough seen on looking at the curves themselves, 
these are unsuitable for reduction to a numerical form. This — 
difficulty is chiefly owing to the fact that after the vagi were 
severed the respirations occurred in groups. Four or five small 
respirations occurred together and were succeeded by @ deep : 
sighing respiration. In making a table it would be necessary — 
to state the variations ‘in amplitude and rhythm of both kinds 
of respiratory efforts. Such a table would be difficult to follow, 
and I have therefore decided to omit the records of thes? : 
experiments. ; 
The animals were anzesthetised with ether, and the carotid artery — 
connected with a mercury manometer, and the trachea with 9 
Marey’s tambour. The style of the manometer and the lever of the 
tambour wrote upon a Hering’s kymograph. The experiments a1? 
arranged in three groups: in the first the venom was injected under : 
the skin, in the second into the peritoneal cavity, and in the thimt 
series it was introduced directly into the circulation through - 
