PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL AGENTS UPON BLOOD. 
709 
and withered. I then made an attempt at resuscitation, and exactly 100 hours after 
the animal died I put it into a moist warm atmosphere, and there retained it till the 
temperature of its body was slightly raised. This treatment had the effect of restoring 
the irritability of the heart, and on touching the ventricle with a point of my pen it 
resumed its pulsations, and during several minutes the contractions, first of the auricles 
and then of the ventricles, continued rhythmically ; even the pulsations in the large 
vessels attached to the heart also became distinctly visible, and continued so with regu- 
larity for upwards of a quarter of an hour. 
The chemical action of antiar and aconitine on the blood, like their physiological 
action on the nervous system, are as near as possible alike. First, as regards their 
influence on the exhalation of carbonic acid. Two portions of thoroughly defibrinated 
and well arterialized sheep’s blood, 62 grammes each, were put into receivers with 
100 per cent, of air. To the one 0-01 gramme of antiar dissolved in water was added ; 
to the other a similar quantity of pure aconitine dissolved in faintly acid water. After 
twenty-four hours’ action "the air in the receivers was analyzed with the following results. 
Antiar'*, twenty-four hours’ action, 100 per cent, of air. Result : — 
No. 43. — In 100 parts of air. 
Carbonic acid . . . 2 '05. 
No. 44. — Result of analysis of air from blood with aconitine in 100 parts of air. 
Carbonic acid . . . 2*02. 
It is thus seen that the influence of antiar and aconitine on the exhalation of carbonic 
acid is very similar. I shall now quote a series of experiments in which the influence 
of these substances with that of woorara is compared. 
A quantity of defibrinated sheep’s blood was taken seventeen hours after the death of 
the animal, and after being completely arterialized it was divided into four portions, 
each of which was put into a receiver with 100 per cent, of atmospheric air. They 
were all treated precisely alike, except that to one 0 - 092 gramme of antiar was added, 
to another 0-092 gramme of aconitine, and to a third 0-092 gramme of woorara. The 
fourth portion was retained pure in order to form a standard of comparison. After 
twenty-four hours’ action the air was analyzed, with subjoined results. 
1\ o. 4b. — Air from pure 
Oxygen . . . 
Carbonic acid . 
Nitrogen . 
1 2-05} Total oxygen 15 ' 81 
84-19 
* For the antiar employed in these experiments I am indebted to the kindness of Professor Shakpey. 
