200 Mr. Brqdie on the different Modes 
Since neither the division of the nerves, nor the obstruction 
of the thoracic duct interfere in the slightest degree with the 
effects of the woorara, there is presumptive evidence that it 
acts on the brain by entering the circulation through the 
divided veins. I endeavoured to ascertain, by experiment, 
whether this is really the case. 
To apply ligatures to the large vessels of a limb only would 
evidently lead to no satisfactory conclusion, since the anasto- 
mosing vessels might still carry on the circulation. The only 
way, which I could devise of performing the experiment, was 
to include all the vessels, small as well as large, in a ligature. 
Exp. 27. In order to make the experiment more satisfac- 
torily, I exposed the sciatic nerve of a rabbit in the upper and 
posterior part of the thigh, and passed under it a tape half an 
inch wide, I then made a wound in the leg, and having in- 
troduced into it some of the woorara mixed with water, I tied 
the tape moderately tight on the fore-part of the thigh. Thus 
I interrupted the communication between the wounds and the 
other parts of the body, by means of the vessels, while that 
by means of the nerve still remained. After the ligature was 
tightened, I applied the woorara a second time, in another 
part of the leg. The rabbit was not at all affected, and at the 
end of an hour I removed the ligature. Being engaged in 
some other pursuit, I did not watch the animal so closely as 
I should otherwise have done ; but twenty minutes after the 
ligature was removed, I found him lying on one side, motion- 
less and insensible, evidently under the influence of the poison, 
but the symptoms were less violent than in most instances, 
and after lying in this state he recovered, and the limb became 
perfectly warm, and he regained the power of using it. 
