198 DRS. T. L. BRUNTON AND J. T. CASH ON CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION, 
3rd. To compare the action of ammonia on muscle and nerve with that of other 
substances nearly allied to it in chemical properties, and belonging to the group 
of alkalies. 
4th. To examine the action of acid and alkali upon muscle independently of the 
chemical composition of the acids or alkalies employed. 
5th. To extend the research on muscle and nerve to the elements belonging to the 
group of alkaline earths. 
General action of Ammonium Salts. 
From experiments with ammonium chloride, sulphate, phosphate, tartrate, benzoate, 
and hippurate, Feltz and Putter concluded that ammoniacal salts all had a similar 
action, producing convulsions and coma, slowing of the pulse and lowering of the 
temperature. They considered the action to be the same in kind, but differing in 
intensity. The convulsions produced by ammoniacal salts were shown by Funke and 
Deahna to be similar to the tetanus produced by strychnia, differing from it only in 
the fact that a single convulsion instead of a series of convulsions was produced by 
the poison. The cause of this result they believed to be the rapid production of 
paralysis of the motor nerves by the ammoniacal salt, which prevented the occurrence of 
more than one tetanic convulsion. 
As the action of chloride of ammonium has already been pretty thoroughly investi¬ 
gated, it seemed to us unnecessary to make any more experiments upon its general 
action. We have therefore restricted our researches to the action of the bromide, 
iodide, sulphate and phosphate, and have experimented only on Frogs with the 
bromide. The result of these experiments seems to be that ammonium chloride, 
bromide and iodide form a series. At one end of it is ammonium chloride having 
a stimulant action on the spinal cord, and, at the other, the iodide having a 
paralyzing action upon motor nerves. Ammonia and ammonium chloride produce 
tetanus ; the bromide, hyperesthesia, with some clonic spasm, passing into tetanus, 
which, however, comes on very late in the course of the poisoning. The iodide 
produces rapid failure of higher reflexes, such as that from the conjunctiva, and 
caused in our experiments progressive paralysis, but no tetanus. At an early stage of 
poisoning by it the Frog responded with a creak when stroked on the back, and as 
this has been shown by Goltz to occur after removal of the cerebral hemispheres, its 
occurrence in poisoning by ammonium iodide may be looked upon as a proof that 
the higher centres are poisoned first. After injection of ammonium phosphate also, 
there is throughout an absence of true spasm. The usual movements become sprawl¬ 
ing, and when taken up and gently set down again, the animal remains plastic, with 
the limbs extended. Before the cessation of reflex in the hind limbs, slight twitchings 
are observed to accompany induced movement. After the injection of sulphate of 
ammonium a slight degree of hyperesthesia is developed. In a variable length of time 
