Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 037.djvu/106

 times there was near the Space of a Minute between two Inspirations.

After this he was seized with a Trembling in his Limbs, and in about three Quarters of an Hour from his taking the last Ounce, he died without any Strugling, with his Tail extended.

There were several other Experiments made of the same Kind, by some Gentlemen of the Profession here, which corresponded exactly with the foregoing, excepting this one Circumstance, that they were of Opinion, that this Poison occasioned an Inflammation in the Stomach and Guts.

Towards clearing this Dispute, We, who thought otherwise, put together the following Hints, from which it appears that the Fact is not as they imagined, and that notwithstanding we find, upon an Animal's being killed by this Poison, the Veins greatly distended with Blood, yet, there is not any Inflammation produced by it.

I do not know any thing that will illustrate this Matter better, than the Analogy which may be observed between the Convulsions occasioned by the Epilepsy, and those which are the Effect of Laurel-Water.

For Instance, in the Epilepsy, the Body is univerversallyuniversally [sic] convulsed, especially the Muscles of the Neck, the Tongue, the lower Jaw, and those of the Arms.

The Effect of these Convulsions is this: The Heart beats with unusual Violence and Frequency; the necessary Consequence of which is, that the Blood will be thrown in greater Plenty from the Arteries into the Veins. But because the Muscles do compress the Veins