1875.] Physiological Action of Vanadium, 41 



subcutaneous injection, by injection into veins, or by injection into 

 the alimentary canal. 

 B. the special action on the various functions of the animal body. 



Under A thirty-one experiments are detailed, in which frogs, a pigeon, 

 guineapigs, rabbits, dogs, and cats were made use of. From these experi- 

 ments it is gathered : — 



(1) That vanadium is a poisonous substance. 



(2) That the symptoms of poisoning are, in general, similar whatever 

 the method of the introduction of the salt into the animal system. 



(3) That the symptoms of poisoning which appeared in one or other 

 of the various classes of animals above mentioned are : — paralysis 

 of motion; convulsions, local or general; rapidly supervening 

 drowsiness, or indifference to external circumstances ; congestion- 

 of alimentary mucous membranes ; discharge of sanguinolent fluid 

 faeces ; presence of glairy, fluid mucus in the intestines after death ; 

 certain changes in respiration and, coincidently, a fall in tem- 

 perature ; drowisness and feebleness of pulse. In addition, the 

 heart was always irritable after death, consciousness and sensibility 

 to pain seemed unimpaired, and no diminution could be detected 

 in the powers of muscle and nerve to respond to stimulation. 



(4) That the lethal dose for rabbits lies between 9*18 mgr. and 

 14-66 mgr. of V 2 5 per kilog. of rabbit. 



Under B the author details a number of experiments undertaken with 

 the view to gain more exact information as to the action of the salt of 

 vanadium upon particular functions. The methods of experiment and 

 the precautions observed are fully described ; and the action on the fol- 

 lowing functions is discussed, viz. : — 



(i) On the function of muscular tissue (after direct local applica- 

 tion of the salt) ; and 



(ii) On the function of nervous tissue (after direct local application 

 of the salt). Five series of experiments are recorded, from which 

 it appears that, under the conditions of the experiments, func- 

 tional death of muscular and nervous tissue speedily follows 

 even when the solutions used contain no more salt than corre- 

 sponds to *05 per cent, of V 2 5 . 



(iii) On the function of circulation. Twelve experiments are re- 

 corded in which either subcutaneous or venous injection was em- 

 ployed, the experiments being performed on — 



(a) Normal rabbits, 



(b) Babbits with divided vagi, 



(c) Babbits with divided cords, 



(d) A frog with heart exposed and the nervous structures in 

 front of the atlanto-occipital articulation destroyed. 



