An essay on the influence of tobacco upon life and healthMussey, R. D. (Reuben Dimond)
Science
An essay on the influence of tobacco upon life and health
Mussey, R. D. (Reuben Dimond)
Tobacco use
To the tongue of a young and rather less than half-grown cat, a drop of
the oil of tobacco was applied. In fifteen seconds the ears were thrown
into rapid and convulsive motions,--thirty seconds fruitless attempts
to vomit. In one minute convulsive respiration; the animal fell upon the
side. In four minutes and twenty seconds violent convulsions. In five
minutes the breathing and the heart's motion had ceased. There was no
evacuation by the mouth or otherwise. The vital powers had been too
suddenly and too far reduced to admit of a reaction. The tremors, which
followed death, subsided first in the superior extremities, and in five
minutes ceased altogether. The muscles were perfectly flaccid.
EXPERIMENT 5.
In the tip of the nose of a mouse, a small puncture was made with a
surgeon's needle, bedewed with the oil of tobacco. The little animal,
from the insertion of this small quantity of the poison, fell into a
violent agitation, and was dead in six minutes.
EXPERIMENT 6.
Two drops of the oil were rubbed upon the tongue of a red squirrel. This
animal, so athletic as to render it difficult to secure him sufficiently
long for the application, was in a moment seized with a violent agitation
of the whole body and limbs, and was perfectly dead and motionless in
one minute.
EXPERIMENT 7.
To the tongue of a dog rather under the middle size, five drops of the
oil of tobacco were applied. In forty-five seconds he fell upon the
side, got up, retched, and fell again. In one minute the respiration was
laborious, and the pupils were dilated. In two minutes the breathing was
slow and feeble, with puffing of the cheeks. In three minutes the pupils
were smaller but continually varying. The left fore leg and the right
hind leg were affected with a simultaneous convulsion or jerk,
corresponding with the inspiratory motions of the chest. This continued
for five minutes.
In nine minutes alimentary evacuations; symptoms abated; and the animal
attempted to walk. At ten minutes two drops of the oil were applied to
the tongue. Instantly the breathing became laborious, with puffing of
the cheeks; pupils much dilated. The convulsive or jerking motions of
the two limbs appeared as before, recurring regularly at the interval
of about two seconds, and exactly corresponding with the inspirations.
In twelve minutes the pupils were more natural; slight frothing at the
mouth, the animal still lying upon the side. At this time a drop of
the oil was passed into each nostril. The labor of the respiration was
suddenly increased, the jaws locked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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