520 ME. J. PEIESTLET ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF VANADIUM. 
attached. Laid bare the muscles down to where the feet commence. 
Irritated the muscles of both by means of an interrupted current (the secon- 
dary coil being at a distance of 20 centims. from the primary) and pro- 
duced distinct movements in both. Placed one in a capsule filled with 
a *5 per cent, solution NaCl, and the other in a 2 per cent, solution of V 2 0 5 
in the form of sodium vanadate. The leg in the vanadium solution 
appeared to stiffen a little. 
Each leg was tested at intervals during the succeeding hours, by stimu- 
lating with induced (interrupted) currents, with the following results : — 
Time. 
Leg in Vanadium solution. 
Leg in NaCl solution. 
1 
h. m. 
1 45 
Moves with secondary coil at 16-17. 
Moves with secondary coil at 20-21. 
2 0 
„ „ 13. 
„ „ 20. 
2 25 
„ „ 12. 
„ „ 20. 
3 30 
„ „ 6-5. 
„ „ 20-23. 
4 5 
4 50 
6 50 
8 0 
Slight movements with secondary coil at 0. 
No movements at all; leg stiffening. 
Leg stiff as if from rigor mortis. 
„ „ 20-21. 
„ „ 20. 
„ „ 20-23. 
Movements not so brisk. Leg quite flexible ; 
distinct movements with secondary coil at 8. 
Exp. XXXVIII.— June 1875. 
The gastrocnemii of two frogs were prepared in the same manner as in the preceding 
experiment. They were all tested, and the minimum stimulus in the case of each was 
found to be when the secondary coil was at 18. 
The gastrocnemii of frog (a) were placed, one in a *5 per cent, solution NaCl, and 
the other in a 1 per cent, solution V 2 0 5 (sodium vanadate) ; those of frog (/3) were 
placed, one in a - 5 per cent, solution and the other in a *05 per cent, solution of V 2 O- 
(sodium vanadate). On immersion into each of these liquids, muscular twitches were 
observed to follow in the legs, and in the legs in the 1 per cent, and *5 percent, solutions 
there were tetanic extensions. These muscular movements ceased in all cases after 
20 minutes. 
The muscles were tested by electrical stimuli at intervals, and within 2 hours 
10 minutes all the muscles which had been immersed in solutions of the vanadium salt 
died, viz. that placed in the 1 per cent, solution within 1 hour 20 minutes, that placed 
in the - 5 per cent, solution within 2 hours 10 minutes, and that placed in the *05 per 
cent, solution within 1 hour 38 minutes, the muscle placed in salt solution remaining 
sensibly normal. 
From the preceding experiments we learn that solutions of vanadate of soda, even 
when very dilute, rapidly cause death when directly applied to muscle. 
