on the Action of Poisons on the Animal System. 
207 
II. Experiments with the Woorara. 
In a former experiment, I succeeded in recovering an ani- 
mal, which was apparently dead from the influence of the 
essential oil of bitter almonds, by continuing respiration arti- 
ficially until the impression of the poison upon the brain had 
ceased ; but a similar experiment on an animal under the in- 
fluence of the woorara was not attended with the same suc- 
cess. Some circumstances led me to believe, that the result 
of the experiment with the woorara might have been different, 
if it had been made with certain precautions ; but I was unable 
at that time to repeat it, in consequence of my stock of the 
poison being exhausted. I have since, however, been able to 
procure a fresh supply, and I shall relate two experiments 
which I have made with it. In one of these, an animal appa- 
rently dead from the woorara, was made to recover, notwith- 
standing the functions of the brain appeared to be wholly 
suspended for a very long period of time ; in the other, though 
ultimate recovery did not take place, the circulation was main- 
tained for several hours after the brain had ceased to perform 
its office. 
Experiment 1. Some woorara was inserted into a wound in 
a young cat. She became affected by it in a few minutes, and 
lay in a drowsy and half sensible state, in which she continued 
at the end of an hour and fifteen minutes, when the applica- 
tion of the poison was repeated. In four minutes after the 
second application, respiration entirely ceased, and the animal 
appeared to be dead ; but the heart was still felt acting about 
one hundred and forty times in a minute. She was placed in 
