Polynesian., 1858-10-23

ewing to the eliminating process necessarily going
On, that quantity is innOcuous, when spread over
certain period which would be fatal if administer
ed at once We have said that the effect is differ
snt in kind, and nicotine shall furnish with an
example. The fumes Of tobacco contain nicotine
and this nicotine, acting on the saliyary glands,
determines an increased secTetiOn-as all smokers
know. But, by law of our economy, all the Sc
cretions Of the intestinal canal are in intimate
sympathy, so that to stimulate one is to stimulate
another and the secretion of the salivary glands
being stimulated to increased activity, the gastric
secretion instantly sympathises with it, and pours
into the stomach Thus the action Of the nicotine
on the salivary glandsiucreases the flow of gastric
juice and cigar after dinner assists digestion by
its nicotine, which said nicotine we know to be
violent poison!
NJ Claude Bernard the most eminent of that
brilliant band of experimental Psychologists who,
especially in Paris, put Nature into the witness
box, and extOrt from her the most surprising
lations, has jus. published his lectures at the Col
ege de France on PosOns and their physiological
eifects-a book we recommend to the particular at
tenton of every reader at all interested in the sub
iect. In the course of these lectures and expert
mCnts, we assist as it were, at physiological dis
section Of the organism; for different substan-
ces having effects only isolated portions Of the
ganism. Thus, oxide Of carbon destroys the blood
gIobues strychnne destroys the sensitive power of
the destroys the motor power but leaves the
sensbity intact the sulphocyanide of potash ami
hilates muscular cOntractiity; nicotine acts the
circulation through the nerves; ether and alcohol
act on the secretions. Among the many striking
results established by Bernard's experiments, is
the confirmation Of IIallcr's dOctrine-long dsre-
garded and rejected by the schoos-of the irrita-
bility of the heart and the muscles, quite indie
pendent of the nerves. BY discovering an agent
for the complete paralysis of the motor nerves-the
icO0rard-and by observing that, in spite Of this
paralysis the muscles preserved their irritablity,
and the heart continued to beat, NJ Bernard over
throws all the objections which have been brought
against Haller's doctrine. One of his experiments
is curious-the action of the nerves on the heart
is proved to be purely OF interfering, arresting
nature. Thus, when the pneumo-gastric nerves
galvanized, the heart ceases to beat; but if the
animal be poisoned by the IUOOrGrG the heart con-
tinues to beat in spite of galyanisn, because the
tcoorqra has destroyed the nervous influence.
Very curious the experiments by which NJ.
Bernard illustrates the power of adaptation to an
external medium possessed by the organism In
an atmosphere so yitiated that vigorous animal
instantly perishes if plunged into it, an animal of
the same species can live for some time, and will
quite recover if restored to purer atmosphere.
In an air-tight glass bell jar a sparrow was placed
After he had remained there two hours, another
sparrow was introduced, and was instantly sufO-
pant remained another hour In the glass, after
which he was withdrawn, nearly dead. The fresh
air and warmth revived him. In Il little while he
had recovered sufficiently to fly. When he had re-
covered all his vigor, he was again placed in the
atmosphere from which he had been withdrawn
and Immediately died If the reader remembers
what suiIocating sensation has seized him on en-
tering crowded room, or one full of smokers and
how after few minutes, he has grown so used to
thn atmOSDherp TO be almost of auv
discomfort, he will understand how a depression of
the funtions in a ytiated atmosphere tends to es-
tablish a sort of eQuili brium between his organ
ism and the atmosphere. NJ. Bernard remarks
that if a sparrow will live three hours in a certain
space, the natural conclusion would be, that two
sparrows of exactly the same siXe and weight
would live one hour and a half in this space but
on experiment it is found that two sparrows only
live one hour and quarter, and the reason of this
acceeraton of their death is that in order to adapt
themselves to such medium, longer time is
needed
NJ Bernard always endeavors to discover the
mechanism by which the various poisOns produce
DEATH Indeed his point Of view is always physiO-
logical-he studies poisons in their effects on the
organs, or rather on the system. Among his ex-
plantations, there is one of the impunity with
which certain poisons may be taken internally,
which if breathed or injected into the arteries,
cause certain death. Il is this-a poison admitted
into the stomach is stiH outside the organism, as
much as if it were lying on the hand and can only
penetrate inside by means of the absorbent vessels.
Once absorbed, it will be carried by the viens
through the lungs and there it will be eliminated;
whereas, if it enters the organism through the ar
teres, no elimination is possible and the tissues
are attacked.
We have but indicated the questions treated by
NJ. Bernard, and must refer the reader to his work
itself for fuller information.