EXPERIMENTS WITH THE WOURALI POISON. 
225 
was inserted into the lower part of the neck of the ass, a few 
minutes after nine; in about a quarter of an hour the heart 
began to beat irregularly; the respirations were about 15 in 
the minute; the pulse was accelerated, and the pupils of the 
eyes were dilated; in half an hour the breathing became diffi- 
cult and irregular, and the pulse had risen to 104; at this mo- 
ment the creature fell, as if dead, perfectly motionless, and 
the pulse could not be felt. An opening was immediately 
made into the wind-pipe, and the apparatus, which had been 
prepared for the purpose of carrying on artificial respiration, 
was applied, and put in action; this consisted of a tube, which 
was introduced into the opening of the wind-pipe, and a pair 
of bellows, which were attached to this tube; the lungs were 
then inflated, and afterwards emptied by pressure on the body; 
this action being kept on regularly and steadily, supplied the 
place of the natural respiration; this process was persevered 
in for seven hours and a half, at which time the animal com- 
menced breathing by its own efforts. During this time but 
little change occurred in the animal; it lay motionless, and 
apparently lifeless ; its extremities were to a certain extent 
cold, the respiration had ceased, and the heart beat very feebly. 
From the time of animation returning the animal has been 
gradually improving, and had eaten plentifully of hay, &c, 
but a degree of paralysis of the limbs exists, from the applica- 
tion of strychnine, which was used with the view of restoring 
it earlier from its state of temporary death, by inducing a 
degree of spasm. In the course of the night the tube was 
removed from the wind-pipe, and a quantity of mucus escaped 
from the wound, followed by a little coagulated blood; the 
wound was then closed, and respiration went on by the natu- 
ral openings. 
The third experiment was commenced on Tuesday morn- 
ing. The ass chosen was younger and in better condition 
than the previous one. The poison was inserted in a similar 
manner, but only a fourth part of the quantity was used; the 
ass for some time suffered but little, and continued to eat hay, 
vol. v. — no. in, 29 
