Experiments made with a view to ascertain the principle on which the action of the heart depends, and the relation which subsists between that organ and the nervous system / by A.P. Wilson Philip.

  • Philip, Alexander Philip Wilson, 1770-1847.
Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments made with a view to ascertain the principle on which the action of the heart depends, and the relation which subsists between that organ and the nervous system / by A.P. Wilson Philip. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    much less increase of the heart's action than arose from the spirit of wine. The increased action was greater from the opium, than from the tobacco. The first effect of both was soon succeeded by a more languid action of the heart than that which preceded their application to the brain. This effect was greatest, and came on soonest when the tobacco was used, and we always, for we frequently repeated the experiment, saw an evident increase in the action of the heart, when we washed off the tobacco. We could also perceive this, though in a less degree, when the opium was washed off. Little or none of this debilitating effect was observed when the spirit of wine was used. After its stimulating effect had subsided, the ac- tion of the heart only returned to about the same degree as before the application of the stimulus. Exp. 15. The foregoing experiment was repeated on an animal of cold blood. Mr. Hastings had found, that im- mersing the hind legs of a frog in tincture of opium, in less than a minute, deprives it of sensibility. This does not arise from any action of the opium ; a watery solution of opium, we found, however strong, does not produce the effect. It is immediately produced by simple spirit of wine, and arises from the action of the spirit on the nerves of the part to which it is applied, for it takes place quite as readily as in the healthy frog, after a ligature has been thrown round all the vessels attached to the heart. It is remarkable, that if simple spirit of wine is used, the animal expresses severe pain, if tincture of opium, very little. I have already mentioned the reason why it is necessary, in order to judge of the result of this experiment, that the animal should be rendered insensible. (Exp. 11.) Having thus deprived a frog of sensibility, we laid bare the C 2