i86 Mr. Brcdie on the different Modes 
It appears from this experiment, that the juice of aconite, 
when injected into the intestine, occasions death by destroying 
the functions of the brain. From the analogy of other poisons, 
it is rendered probable that it acts on the brain through the 
medium of the nerves, without being absorbed into the circu- 
lation. This opinion is confirmed by the following circum- 
stance : if a small quantity of the leaf of aconite is chewed, 
it occasions a remarkable sense of numbness of the lips and 
gums, which does not subside for two or three hours. 
Experiments with the Infusion of Tobacco. 
Exp. 8. Four ounces of infusion of tobacco were injected 
into the rectum of a dog. Four minutes afterwards he retched, 
but did not vomit ; he then became faint, and lay motionless 
on one side ; at the end of nine minutes from the time of the 
injection, the heart could not be felt ; he gasped for breath at 
long intervals ; and in another minute there was no appear- 
ance whatever of life. I immediately laid open the cavities of 
the thorax and abdomen. The heart was much distended, and 
had entirely ceased to contract ; there was no peristaltic motion 
of the intestines. 
Exp. 9. An ounce of very strong infusion of tobacco was 
injected into the rectum of a cat. Symptoms were produced 
similar to those, which occurred in the last experiment, and the 
animal died at the end of seven minutes from the time of the 
injection. On opening the thorax immediately after death, 
'the heart was found extremely distended, and to have entirely 
ceased acting, with the exception of a slight tremulous mo- 
tion of the auricles. 
