54 TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
tetanic convulsions. 4:40, reflex action in 3 seconds. 4:50, reflex action 
in 8 seconds. 5:55, reflex action in 22 seconds. 
In a frog in which one sciatic nerve was divided previously, the alka¬ 
loid produced convulsions all over the body except in the leg operated on. 
The stimulation of reflex activity by sparteine is generally followed by 
a distinct depression. This diminution and the final abolition of the re¬ 
flexes, under sufficiently large doses of the drug, can not be due to an 
influence on the nerves themselves or their peripheral extremities, since 
the phenomenon occurs after protection of these parts from the action of 
the agent, as clearly shown in the preceding experiments. It would 
seem, therefore, that the depression of reflex action, like its destruction, 
is of centric origin. Again, when the reflexes are below normal in an 
animal poisoned with sparteine, section of the spinal cord high up results 
in an apparent return to the physiological standard. The reflexes, how- 
Fig. E. 
Tracing II.—The same, 15 minutes after the second injection. Respiratory 
tambour got out of order, and the movements could no longer be registered. 
ever, are secondarily depressed and ultimately abolished. These results 
lead me to the belief that, under sparteine, there is a primary stimulation 
of the chief reflex inhibitory center (Setschenow’s), this explaining the 
first stage of depression. The second period of diminished reflexes and 
the final abolition of the same, are, undoubtedly, the outcome of a direct 
action of the poison on the spinal centers. In this respect, the behavior 
of sparteine resembles that of quinine, digitalis, and probably ot hydras- 
tine. 
Convulsions .—As has been observed, sparteine so stimulates the sys¬ 
tem as to cause convulsions, these being usually of a tetanic nature. 
From a close examination of the preceding experiments, it becomes evi¬ 
dent that this phenomenon is not the result of a peripheral action of the 
drug. Experiments VI and VII clearly show this. The convulsions 
must be either cerebral or spinal. Previous division of the cord does 
