184 Mr. Bkodie on the different Modes 
became laboured, took place at longer and longer intervals, 
and at the end of five minutes, from the application of the 
poison, had entirely ceased, and the animal was apparently 
dead; but, on opening the thorax, the heart was found acting 
regularly eighty times in a minute, circulating dark coloured 
blood, and it continued to act for six or seven minutes after- 
wards. 
Exp. 6 . I injected into the rectum of a cat half an ounce of 
water, with two drops of the essential oil. In tw’o minutes 
afterwards, he was affected with symptoms similar to those, 
which occurred in the last experiment, and at the end of live 
minutes, from the injection of the poison, he was apparently 
dead. Two minutes after apparent death, the heart was found 
acting eighty times in a minute. On dissection, no preter- 
natural appearances were found either in the internal mem- 
brane of the rectum, or the brain. 
The symptoms produced by this poison, and the circum- 
stance of the heart continuing to contract after apparent death, 
lead to the conclusion that it occasions death by disturbing the 
functions of the brain. 
While engaged in these last experiments, I dipped the blunt 
end of a probe into the essential oil, and applied it to my 
tongue, meaning to taste it, and having no suspicion that so 
small a quantity could produce any of its specific effects on 
the nervous system ; but scarcely had I applied it, when 1 ex- 
perienced a very remarkable and unpleasant sensation, which 
I referred chiefly to the epigastric region, but the exact nature 
of which I cannot describe, because I know nothing pre- 
cisely similar to it. At the same time there was a sense of 
weakness in my limbs, as if I had not the command of my 
