OF THE BARK OF ERYTHROPHLEUM GUINENSE. 
653 
Subsequently as the blood-pressure fell the secretion of urine recommenced. 
The physiological explanation of these successive phenomena appears to be that the 
primary increase of blood-pressure produces arterial fluxion to the kidney ; but that if 
the action of the drug is pushed, the renal vessels become contracted so as to prevent 
the blood reaching the kidneys, notwithstanding the high pressure in the arterial system. 
It is worth notice that the urine collected after the secretion had recommenced did not 
contain albumen. 
In this respect the result of this experiment differs from those obtained by Mr. Power 
and one of us in our experiments on the action of digitalis ; it coincides, however, with 
those experiments in its general results. 
Action on the Pupil and Lacrymal Gland. 
In order to see if the drug exerted any local action on either of these organs, we 
(Experiment XLV.) placed some drops of strong watery solution of casca in the eye of 
a cat, but with purely negative results. 
Action on Muscle. 
Effect on Structure of Muscular Tissue. 
The effect on fresh muscular tissue of immersion in casca solution was carefully 
watched with an oc. 3 obj. 7 of Hartnack’s microscope without any change in the 
structure being discovered (Experiment XLVL). We then (Experiment XLVIL, 
March 22nd) examined the “ naked-eye ” and microscopical changes produced in mus- 
cular tissue by prolonged immersion in a watery solution of the alcoholic extract, the 
effect of which solution in preventing the development of Bacteria has already been 
detailed (p. 635). 
A. The solution in which the muscular tissue had been placed presented, in addition 
to the absence of Bacteria , few noteworthy points ; it preserved its original slightly 
resinous smell, and deposited a fine light-brown sediment, which, under the microscope, 
appeared as a granular structureless detritus. 
B. The muscular tissue to the naked eye appeared hardly altered in consistence : the 
fibrous sheath was firm ; there was no smell. Under obj. 7 Hartnack the fibres were 
seen to be very granular, in part only preserving their transverse striation ; the general 
appearance closely resembled ordinary fatty degeneration. Some of the fibres were 
then soaked in ether for twenty-four hours; on examination after this the granula- 
tions had in great part disappeared. Many of the fibres appeared to consist merely 
of collapsed tubes of sarcolemma; where they were not collapsed they showed plain 
transverse striae. 
Six weeks later the muscle was again examined ; it having remained in the same 
casca solution all the while, it was now reduced to the condition of a rather tough 
gelatinous pulp ; the sheath of the muscle retained its strength. Under the microscope 
4 z 2 
