222 PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF VERATRINE ON ANIMALS. 
the heart had emptied itself of blood, it did not remain 
vacuous, but was filled with vapour, from the evaporation of 
the portion of blood with which the inner surface of the 
heart was left moistened. The vapour thus produced was 
sufficient by its expansion to act on the column of blood in 
the arteries, and to drive it on into the capillary and venous 
systems. 
Dr. Thudichum having briefly replied, 
The President expressed the great gratification he had felt 
in presiding at these physiological meetings. The subjects 
brought forward were always most interesting, and were ably 
discussed. The paper of Dr. Thudichum was peculiarly 
valuable, as showing not only original thought, but a vast 
amount of learned research. 
ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OE VERATRINE ON 
ANIMALS. 
By MM. E. Eaivre and C. Leblanc. 
The authors give the following conclusions as the deduc- 
tions to be drawn from the experiments detailed in their 
Memoir. 
According to the experiments which we have made, we are 
led to the opinion that veratrine exerts three distinct actions 
upon the animal economy. These actions depend upon the 
dose administered. The first is a very marked action upon 
the digestive tube ; the second, on the organs of circulation 
and respiration ; and the third, on the nervous system and 
the muscles of animal life. 
First Period . — The first action of veratrine is upon the 
digestive tube, and causes an augmentation of sensibility, 
contractibility, and of the secretions. The increased sensi- 
bility is betrayed by colic, whose violence appears to vary 
according to the dose of veratrine used. When enduring 
the pain produced by this medicament, horses stamp violently 
and agitate themselves. Dogs become likewise very much 
excited. To the pain are united phenomena of muscular 
contraction; the intestines are contracted, the peristaltic 
motions perceptibly accelerated. M. Magendie has remarked 
these phenomena in the dog ; we have ourselves frequently 
proved it in frogs. 
The secretion of the intestinal follicles and salivary glands 
is augmented by the action of veratrine. In our experiments 
