PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION, AND ANTAGONISM. 
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The symptoms were those of paralysis of the spinal cord and motor nerves. The 
conducting power of the cord for motor impressions appears to be paralyzed, as the 
hind legs fail before the fore legs. Death occurs in Rabbits and Rats by failure of 
respiration. 
Difference between the Action of the Salts of the Compound Ammonias. 
Our experiments appear to us to show that the salts of the compound ammonias 
vary in their action : («) according to the acid radical with which they are combined ; 
and ( b) according to the number of the atoms of hydrogen which have been replaced 
in the ammonia by an alcohol radical. The influence of the acid, however, appears to 
us to be less marked than in the case of ammonia itself. 
The iodides appear to have the strongest paralyzing action, both on the central 
nervous system and on the peripheral nerves. Next to them come the chlorides, and 
the sulphates have the least action. 
The paralysis of the higher reflex, e.g ., of the cornea, was more marked in Frogs 
than in Mammals. In the latter, indeed, corneal reflex was observed almost at the last. 
We have only examined the action of the iodides of tetramethyl- and tetraethyl- 
ammonium, so that we cannot compare their actions with those of the corresponding 
chlorides and sulphates. We have already drawn attention to the fact that their 
action appears to differ very greatly from the compound ammonias in which only 
three atoms of hydrogen have been replaced by an alcohol radical. In the tetra 
compounds convulsant action is very strongly marked, while in the triad compound 
ammonias it is much less so, or may be altogether absent. 
In the case of warm-blooded animals salivation was noticed before death in 
poisoning by trimethyl-ammonium sulphate, tetramethyl-ammoniiun iodide, and tetra 
ethyl-ammonium iodide; it also occurred, to some extent, in amyl-ammonium iodide. 
In one or two others a similar action was observed to a less extent. 
We have not investigated fully the action on the spinal cord and higher nerve 
centres of these different compounds, because the number of substances on which we 
have experimented was so great that we thought it better to leave this subject for a 
subsequent research, and to confine ourselves more especially to their action on muscle 
and nerve. 
The results of our experiments on these tissues are shown in a condensed form in 
the following paragraphs :— 
Differences between the Action of Salts of the Compound Ammonias 
on the Frog’s Muscle and Nerve. 
For convenience sake we will group the bodies, first, according to the acid radical; 
and secondly, according to the base they contain. 
2 F 2 
