OF THE BARK OF ERYTHROPHLEUM GUINENSE. 
631 
Microscopical Examination. 
Kidneys : epithelium not degenerated. 
Heart r muscle-fibres very granular ; in many places hardly a trace of transverse 
striation could be seen. 
Voluntary muscles (rectus abdominis) also granular (well marked, but not quite so 
much as the heart). 
Bladder : muscular coat not degenerated. 
Intestines : muscular coat not degenerated. 
Remarks on Experiments I.-III. 
Experiments I. to III. show the effects of the poison on cats when administered in 
three decreasing doses. 
It will be seen that, during life, the most prominent symptoms of a rapidly poisonous 
dose were in their order of constancy : — 1, vomiting ; 2, respiratory difficulty ; 3, abnormal 
muscular movements. 
After death the condition of the heart and great vessels and of the lungs are most 
noteworthy. 
Vomiting. — This was a constant symptom in all the cats we experimented on, unless 
they were placed under special circumstances. The vomit consisted, first, of whatever 
food might be contained in the stomach, and then of a white frothy mucus. On no 
occasion did it ever have the appearance of intestinal (faecal) vomiting. 
In Experiment I. no actual vomiting occurred. In this case the stomach was found 
to be empty of food after death ; and the absence of the symptoms in this case was 
doubtless due to the rapid paralysis caused by the very large dose administered. 
Bespiratory Difficulty. — This is a constant symptom, except when very small doses are 
administered. 
On reference to Experiment I. it will be seen that at one time the respirations rose 
to 160 per minute. This, however, was exceptional. From 40 to 60 respiratory move- 
ments per minute is probably the average rate after administration of a moderately 
poisonous dose. 
Abnormal Muscular Movements. — These are of two kinds ; thus, immediately after 
the administration of any dose, large or small, there is very generally produced a 
peculiar twitching of the muscles of the limbs, especially of the hind legs. This is 
especially seen when the animal is walking. 
When large, rapidly poisonous doses are administered, symptoms of general muscular 
paralysis and loss of coordination are developed pctri passu with the dyspnoea and 
frequency of the vomiting. The animal rolls and staggers as it walks ; its head falls 
on the ground ; and, finally, it falls over on its side and is unable to stand. Death 
always occurs a very few minutes after the development of these last phenomena. 
Appearance of the Heart post mortem. — As a rule, post mortem examination of the 
heart shows a moderately firm contraction of the ventricles, with a somewhat distended 
