[ 495 ] 
XX. On the Physiological Action of Vanadium. By John Priestley, Platt Physio- 
logical Scholar at Owens College , Manchester. Communicated by Professor Arthur 
Gamgee, F.B.S. 
Received June 18, — Read November 18, 1875. 
Contents. 
I. Introduction 495 
II. Effects on Simple Organisms 498 
III. Effects on Complex Organisms. 
A. General action on the Animal System : — 
Preliminary experiments on tbe reaction 
between vanadate of soda and various 
fluids of the body . 498 
i. Action when subcutaneously injected : — 
On Erogs 499 
On a Pigeon 500 
On Guineapigs 501 
On Rabbits 505 
On Dogs 509 
On Cats 511 
ii. Action when injected into veins 513 
hi. Action when injected into the alimen- 
tary canal 514 
Minimum lethal dose 518 
Resume of the general action of vanadium 518 
B. Special action on various functions of the 
Animal Body: — 
i. Special action on muscular tissue when 
directly applied 519 
ii. Special action on nervous tissue when 
directly applied 521 
Resume of the special action of vanadium, 
when directly applied, on muscular and 
nervous tissue 522 
in. Special action on the circulation : — 
When subcutaneously injected 523 
When injected into veins 526 
After section of the nervi vagi 528 
After division of the spinal cord .... 530 
Direct observation of the heart in a 
Erog during venous injection 533 
Resume of the special action of vanadium 
upon the circulation 533 
iv. Special action on the respiration : — 
When subcutaneously injected 535 
When injected into veins 538 
After section of the nervi vagi 539 
Resume of the special action of vanadium 
upon the respiration 539 
v. Special action on muscle and nerve : — 
On motor and sensory nerves and 
muscle 540 
On spinal cord 546 
Extended experiments on the special 
action upon the contractility of muscle. 550 
On some special nervous centres in the 
medulla 552 
Resume of the special action of vanadium 
on muscle and nerve 552 
IY. Conclusion 554 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
The investigation, of which the results are recorded in the following pages, was carried 
out in the Physiological Laboratory of the Owens College, at the suggestion and under 
the direction of Professor Arthur Gamgee. 
The elaborate investigations of Roscoe had placed vanadium amongst the metals 
