508 ME. J. PEIESTLEY ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OP VANADIUM. 
Post mortem. Examination. 
h. m. 
1 37. Heart still beating (left auricle), 36 in 10 seconds. 
Eight heart distended ; left heart contracted. 
1 40. Eight auricle beating ; right ventricle beats on stimulation, but not so the left 
ventricle. 
The pericardium contains a quantity of colourless effusion. 
Temperature in rectum 36°*7 C. 
From what was said at the beginning of this experiment the above results are value- 
less as regards the lethal dose. The symptoms of poisoning appeared in less than 15 
minutes after injection, and were confirmatory of those stated in previous experiments. 
A rapid increase in the number of respirations per minute was one of the first signs of 
the action of the poison. When paraplegia became well marked the respirations sank 
suddenly from 20 in 10 seconds to 8 in 10 seconds and 12 in 10 seconds. The pulse 
sank and became very feeble, and the temperature sank (as in Exp. XVIII.) about '8° C., 
and maintained that lower temperature for some time after death. 
Exp. XXIII.— March 20, 1874. 
Weight 2066 grms. 
Dose 5 cub. centims. of a 5 per cent, solution (250 milligrammes V 2 0 5 ), 
injected under the skin. (A small amount was lost in injecting.) 
In this experiment 250 milligrammes of V 2 0 5 produced death in a rabbit of 2066 
grms. in from 8 to 9 minutes. Symptoms of poisoning commenced to appear within 
from 2 to 3 minutes of injection, and were exactly confirmatory of those in the preceding 
experiment, viz. a marked increase in the number of respirations (which supervened 
more rapidly than in the preceding experiment), followed, when the nervous symptoms 
became very decided, by a sudden fall, a feebleness of heart-beat, and paralytic and 
convulsive symptoms. 
Exp. XXIV.— May 6, 1874. 
Weight 1280 grms. 
Dose 5 cub. centims. of a 5 per cent, solution (250 milligrammes V 2 0 5 ), 
injected under the skin of the back. 
In this experiment 250 milligrammes of V 2 0 5 caused death in a rabbit of 1280 grms. 
in from 5 to 6 minutes. The symptoms developed within 2 minutes of injection, and 
exactly confirmed those of the preceding experiment. 
Exp. XXV.— May 6, 1874. 
Weight 1672 grms. 
Dose 5 cub. centims. of a 5 per cent, solution (250 milligrammes V 2 0 3 ), 
injected under the skin of the back. 
In this experiment 250 milligrammes of V 2 0 5 caused death in a rabbit of 1672 grms. 
