in which Death is produced by vegetable Poisons. 195 
At the end of twenty-five minutes, symptoms took place very 
similar to those, which occurred in the last experiment, and in 
thirteen minutes more the animal was apparently dead ; but 
the heart continued to contract one hundred and eight times 
in a minute, and by means of artificial respiration the circula- 
tion was kept up for more than twenty minutes. 
The results of other experiments, which I have made with 
the woorara, were similar to those just described. The heart 
continued to act after apparent death, and the circulation might 
be kept up by means of artificial respiration. It is evident 
that this poison acts in some way or another on the brain, and 
that the cessation of the functions of this organ is the imme- 
diate cause of death. 
I found in these experiments, that the best mode of apply- 
ing the woorara is when it is dissolved in water to the con- 
sistence of a thin paste. I first made the wound, and then 
smeared the poison over it with the end of the scalpel. I found 
that the animal was more speedily and certainly affected, if 
there was some haemorrhage, unless the haemorrhage was 
very copious, when it produced an opposite effect, by washing 
the poison away from the wound. When the poison was ap- 
plied in large quantity, it sometimes began to act in six or 
seven minutes. Never more than half an hour elapsed from 
the time of the poison being inserted, to that of the animal 
being affected, except in one instance, where a ligature was 
applied on the limb, which will be mentioned afterwards. 
The woorara, which I employed, had been preserved for some 
years, which will account for its having been less active, than 
it has been described to be by those, who had witnessed its 
effects when in a recent state.. 
