720 
PROFESSOR HARLEY ON THE INFLUENCE OF 
Gas from calf’s blood plus corrosive sublimate, twenty-four hours’ action, 150 per cent, 
of atmospheric air : — 
No. 66. — In 100 parts of air. 
Oxygen 
Carbonic acid . 
Nitrogen . . 
17-01' 
3-58-. 
79-89 
•Total oxygen 20-59 
It is thus seen that corrosive sublimate, while increasing the changes which develope 
carbonic acid, has an almost negative effect on those depending upon oxidation ; if 
anything rather diminishing them than otherwise. 
Oxygen. 
Carbonic acid. 
Nitrogen. 
Total oxygen. 
In 100 parts of air from pure blood 
16-57 
2-15 
81-28 
18-72 
Ditto plus corrosive sublimate 
17-01 
3-58 
79-89 
20-59 
I may here take occasion to mention a fact in connexion with the physiological effects 
of corrosive sublimate on the animal body, which, as far as I am aware, has hitherto 
escaped notice, namely, its cardiac action. As we have already seen, there exist in the 
vegetable kingdom substances which, in consequence of their acting specially on the 
heart and lungs, have acquired the title of cardiac and respiratory poisons; few are, 
however, aware that in the mineral kingdom there are also substances to be met with, 
the peculiar action of which on the animal body is such as to entitle them with equal 
justice to the name of cardiac and respiratory poisons. Corrosive sublimate is an 
example of the former, protosulphate of iron of the latter. 
In order not to be misunderstood, I shall briefly quote the following experiments to 
illustrate my meaning. 
1st. As regards protosulphate of iron, a respiratory poison. 
1st experiment. Into one of the jugular veins of a dog was slowly injected an aqueous 
solution of 15 grains of the protosulphate of iron. In sixty seconds from the com- 
mencement of the experiment (which of itself lasted about forty seconds) the animal 
manifested symptoms of impending suffocation. These speedily induced a convulsion, 
and the involuntary passage of the contents of the bladder and rectum, as is seen to 
occur in cases of true apnoea from a mechanical obstruction to the entrance of air into 
the lungs. 
In eight minutes there was complete loss of sensation and voluntary motion. The 
limbs were paralysed, and the animal manifested no sign of pain on being pinched. 
In ten minutes the symptoms of poisoning began to pass away, and in a few minutes 
more he was again upon his legs. When seen fifty minutes after the commencement of 
the operation, he was running about apparently quite well. 
2nd experiment. Two days later, into the other jugular vein of the same dog, was 
injected an aqueous solution of 30 grains of the protosulphate of iron, double the 
quantity first used. Symptoms of suffocation instantly manifested themselves. The 
