1878.] the Poisonous Principle of Urechites Suberecta. 319 



Effect of a large dose on Gats, subcutaneously injected. 

 Experiment XVII. 



Injected J gr., i.e., 8'1 mgm. pure hydrated urechitoxin, dissolved 

 in \ cub. centim. (40 per cent.) spirit, under the skin of neck of 

 a strong full grown cat. For ten minutes nothing particular was 

 noticed, nnless, indeed, the animal was slightly uneasy and indisposed 

 to move ; at the end of this time it became very uneasy, mewing a good 

 deal. When thirteen minutes had elapsed the cat vomited violently 

 and then passed fasces. During the next twenty minutes it vomited 

 very violently three times and passed fasces and urine involuntarily, 

 the breathing also became very hurried, more than 100 respirations 

 per minute. Very unwilling to move, seemed giddy, tail twitching ; 

 two or three times, however, the animal showed unexpected strength, 

 getting up and walking a few steps. About thirty-five minutes after 

 the injection most violent convulsions came on and death took place 

 thirty-seven minutes after the poison had been injected. When the 

 convulsions came on the pupils enlarged so as to reduce the irises to 

 mere circular hues, this enlargement remained for a considerable time 

 after death, then the irises began slowly to contract. 



The appearances noted on opening the animal were the same as 

 those usually seen in other cats poisoned by urechitoxin. The stomach 

 contained about a teaspoonful of white frothy liquid and was very 

 much distended with gas. The intestines were remarkably tense and 

 wiry, and showed frequent knots in their course, like the knots of a 

 bamboo cane but much more exaggerated. 



Experiment XVIII. 



Injected ^ gr. pure hydrated urechitoxin, dissolved in spirit, under 

 skin of neck of a half-grown kitten, immediately afterwards gave it a 

 mouse which it caught and ate. In five minutes from time of injec- 

 tion vomiting came on and the mouse was ejected. The kitten now 

 very uneasy, convulsive twitchings appeared, speedily followed by 

 strong convulsions, in which it died within eight minutes of the injec- 

 tion. It was opened directly, the stomach was loaded with food and 

 the colon with fasces. The heart, which was very distended, was not 

 cut into ; it contracted considerably as it cooled. The other appear- 

 ances were similar to those noted in other experiments. 



Experiment XVIIla. 



In this case a quantity of urechitoxin was injected sufficient to 

 prove fatal very speedily. Experiments XVLII and XVIII& were 

 performed simply in order that some medical friends might see the 

 great activity of the poison, and I mention ~No. XVIIIa here, for the 

 sake of the following extract from my note book. " The cat was 



