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rabbit had diarrhoea an hour after, and the cats appeared cold and lazy all the next day. Some smaller animals, such as mice and pigeons, died after having taken the glonoine some hours, but they appeared to have suffered from alcoholic poisoning rather than from any symptoms at all resembling those produced by the glonoine on the human subject.

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Disappointed in my endeavors to gain any information from experiments on animals, I still thought I had seen and felt enough of the physiological action of the medicine to justify my cautiously employing it in the treatment of disease."

CASE 1.-Mrs. L—, æt. 68, had for some days been under treatment on account of a very painful nervous affection, which she designates spasms. This recurred regularly every three hours, and is described by herself and her attendants as most distressing, and my own observation of one or two seizures fully bears out their statements. tense pain in the epigastrium, extending up to the top of the chest, and then Each attack commenced suddenly with indown the inner side of the left arm; it lasted about half an hour, and then subsided, leaving her exhausted, but otherwise well in the intervals. They recurred during the night with equal regularity. She was at the same time the subject of uterine derangement. Fetid ammonia, assafoetida, chloroform, valerian, hyoscyamus, camphor, and prussic acid, with counter-irritation, having failed to give her relief, I had recourse to morphia every two hours, which relieved her only after several doses had been taken, and partial narcotism had been produced. She would then enjoy a few hours' peace; but the attacks always returned when the influence of the morphia had passed off.

Feb. 5th. She had slept well all night from the morphia which had been taken in the previous twenty-four hours, and was awoke in the morning of this day by one of her painful attacks; but it yielded in three minutes to a quarter of a drop of the solution of glonoine in a dessert-spoonful of water. After this she had four more attacks before noon. medicine, and was quickly relieved; but having exhausted her supply when For three attacks she took the same the fourth occurred, she suffered as much as on former occasions.

My daily notes of this case are nearly a repetition of what I have just stated, till the evening of the 10th, when she appears to have taken an overdose, which produced effects very similar to those from which I suffered on the 3d. This gave rise to so much alarm, that she refused to take any more. fore again had recourse to the morphia; but she suffered so severely the next I thereday and night, that she begged to be supplied with the glonoine again, and no sooner had she taken it than relief was obtained. The dose has been continued every four hours with the happiest results. Her attacks now are reduced to

two or three in the twenty-four hours, and always readily yield to the quarter of a drop of solution of glonoine. The only other treatment she has required has been a few ten-drop doses of the tincture of canabis indicus, to relieve uterine hemorrhage.

CASE 2.-Mrs. Wseveral hours. The pain was so great that she would gladly have had it exhad suffered severe pain from a decayed tooth for tracted; but her dentist was anxious to preserve it. In the evening she begged me to give her something, for she said, "It cannot be made worse." I placed about half a drop of the solution of glonoine (1 per cent.) on her tongue. Soon after, she experienced a pulsation in the neck, fulness in the head, throbbing in the temples, and slight nausea. became partially insensible, disliking very much to be roused. When fully The toothache subsided, and she sensible she had headache, but the toothache was gone. Certainly that medicine allays pain wonderfully." She slept unusually well Mrs. W. remarked, that night, and experienced no ill effects in the morning. CASE 3.-Elizabeth Mache. I was applying a very small piece of lint dipped in glonoine solution (1 a stout, healthy young woman, had severe toothper cent.), when it accidentally fell into her mouth and was swallowed. In about five minutes, after feeling giddy and sick with headache, she became insensible. Her countenance, naturally florid, was unaltered, breathing tran quil, pulse full, and rather quickened. Knowing, as I did, that she had taken but a small quantity of the drug, I kept my finger on her pulse, and allowed

myself time carefully to observe her condition before applying a restorative. I tested her sensibility to pain, and called loudly to her, but without producing any impression. Directly I detected a slight failure in the pulse, in about three minutes after insensibility commenced, she had some stimulant poured down her throat, when she quickly recovered. Some headache was complained of, but the toothache was cured. The next morning she was quite well.

CASE 4.-Mrs. R- æt. 45, pale, anæmic, with feeble circulation, has for the last month suffered from headache, daily increasing in severity. When I first saw her, February 15th, she had had leeches applied to the temples, and had taken drastic purgatives, since which the pain had been much worse, and she could not sleep. I gave her a quarter drop of glonoine solution in colored water every four hours. On seeing her the next day, she expressed the greatest gratitude for the relief the medicine had afforded her, and she said her head was much better after taking the first dose, and she slept four hours. The glonoine was of course given only as a palliative in this case, while iron and generous diet were relied on as a means of effecting a cure.

"I have not yet met with one well-defined case of neuralgic or spasmodic disease in which this medicine has failed to afford relief. No vague, over-sanguine expectations are entertained of its power to cure disease where spasm or pain are but symptoms, excepting only in those cases where these consequences themselves become the cause of death, their cause being of a transient nature, and liable to subside if the patient's life can be maintained for a certain time, such as temporary irritation of a nervous centre, or inflammation of such a part, which terminate in resolution or be subdued by remedies, if existence were prolonged sufficiently for their action; and also in cases where we may suppose symptoms such as spasm may react on their exciting cause, preventing the necessary tranquillity for recovery, the offspring, as it were, maintaining its parent. With such a remedy may we not look forward hopefully to the treatment of tetanus, hydrophobia, and other similar diseases ?"

2. Dr. Fuller's investigations were undertaken in conjunction with Dr. Harley.

"Our experiments," says Dr. Fuller, "commenced at 12.45 P. M., 20th March, 1858, at which time my pulse was 80, and my respirations were eighteen in a minute. I began by taking two drops of a solution containing 1 drop of pure glonoine in 99 of rectified spirit-the solution employed by Mr. Field. It was sweet to the taste and warm, and imparted a flavor or odor somewhat resembling chloric ether. In the course of a minute I felt, or fancied that I felt, some fulness in the head, but was not conscious of any other unusual sensation. At 1.4 o'clock I took two drops of the solution obtained from Morson's, or in other words, one-sixth of a drop of pure glonoine, which is equal to 17 drops of the solution spoken of by Mr. Field. It was very sweet, and pungently hot to the tongue and throat, giving rise to a burning sensation which lasted several minutes. At 1.6 o'clock my pulse had risen to 96, and I felt, or fancied that I felt, increased fulness about the head, but without giddiness or confusion of thought. My pupils were not affected, and I did not experience any unusual sensation beyond that just referred to. At 1.15 o'clock I took 4 more drops of Morson's solution, or in other words, one-third of a drop of pure glonoine, which is equivalent to 33 drops of Mr. Field's solution. At 1.18 o'clock my pulse was still 96; my respiration remained tranquil; my pupils were unaffected, and I was not conscious of any unusual sensation, except a sense of slight fulness in the head. As no further symptoms occurred, at 1.30 o'clock I swallowed six drops of Morson's solution, or in other words, half a drop of pure glonoine, which is equivalent to fifty drops of Mr. Field's solution. It was intensely hot to the mouth and gullet, rendering it necessary for me to swallow half a glass of water. I felt somewhat nervous; and for a few moments the surface of my body became covered with a clammy perspiration; my pulse intermitted occasionally, and I experienced, or fancied that I did so, an increase of fulness about the head; but my pupils remained unaltered, and in no other respect did I perceive any difference from the effects produced by the former and smaller doses. In a few minutes the nervousness passed off, and at 1.35 o'clock my pulse was 90, and regular. At 1.40 o'clock my pulse

was 86, and my respirations were sixteen in a minute. At 1.50 o'clock my pulse had fallen to 80, or the standard at which it was found before the commencement of the experiments.

"Thus within the space of one hour I took rather more than one drop of pure glonoine, which is the amount contained in eighty drops of the solution spoken of by Mr. Field. This would appear conclusive as to the fact that whether in weak solution (1 in 100) as employed by the homoeopathists, or in a strong solution (1 in 6) glonoine does not produce the effects which have been ascribed to it; and that, contrary to what has been stated by Gmelin and implied by Mr. Field in his recent communication, it may be taken with impunity in considerable quantity. Whether the acceleration of the pulse which was observed in the first instance was attributable to the effect of glonoine, is a question which requires further experiments to determine. My own impression is, that it was purely the effect of the nervousness or excitement resulting from the experiments in which we were engaged, for had it been otherwise it is not probable that the pulse would have fallen to its natural standard within so short a period after taking the larger doses. The fulness in the head may have been attributable in part to the same cause, but some discomfort about the head, not amounting to headache, continued for several hours afterwards, and I cannot help thinking that it is fairly referable to the effect of the glonoine I had taken. I will only add, that for some weeks I had been suffering from slight bronchial irritation, with frequent expectoration of thick mucus, and that since I swallowed the glonoine I have not had occasion to cough or expectorate."

3. The glonoine used by Dr. Harley was procured at a homoeopathic pharmacy, and of the same strength as that used by Mr. Field.

"I began," he says, "by touching my tongue with the cork moistened with the solution; but experiencing no effect beyond that which usually follows the application of alcohol or ether to the tongue, I boldly put a couple of drops in my mouth. At first I felt a kind of sweet and burning sensation, and soon after a sense of fulness in the head, and slight tightness about the throat, without, however, any nausea or faintness. After waiting a minute or two these effects went off, and I could not help thinking that they were partially due to imagination. Determined to give the thing a fair chance, I swallowed five drops more, and as these did not cause any increased uneasiness, I took, in the course of a few minutes, other ten drops of the solution. Being at the time quite alone, I became somewhat alarmed lest I should have taken an over-dose, and very soon my pulse rose to above 100 in the minute. The fulness in the head, and constriction in the throat, I thought was more marked than after the previous dose. In a minute or two, however, my courage returned, and the pulse soon fell to 90. The fulness in the head lasted some time, and was followed by a slight headache. Next day I repeated the experiment upon myself by taking ten-drop doses, and finding no bad effects to result from them, I tried the substance on some of my friends, without saying what sensations might be expected to arise from it: and I may cite the following as a good example of an experiment unaffected by imagination :

"To Dr. von F., a strong, healthy gentleman, aged twenty-six, respirations twenty-eight, and pulse eighty-four in the minute, I gave ten drops of the solution. After waiting five minutes without witnessing any effect, I adminis tered other eighteen drops of the glonoine in a little water. In about a quarter of an hour the pulse was noticed to be slower; this, however, was, no doubt caused by him sitting quite still. The respirations remained as before, and neither fulness in the head, nor constriction in the throat was complained of. Upon the tongue of another gentleman (a medical man), who was equally ignorant of the contents of Mr. Field's communication, I allowed two drops of glonoine to fall; after waiting five minutes without any peculiar sensation being felt, I gave him eighteen drops of the solution, and in five minutes more, as there was still not the slightest effect observable, I again gave him other eighteen drops. The pulse and respirations were carefully watched during a quarter of an hour longer; but as absolutely nothing was either felt or observed, my friend went home. Having been thus unsuccessful in obtaining any decided effects from

the employment of glonoine procured at the homoeopathic pharmacy, I obtained some of the pure substance from Mr. Morson, in Southampton-row. While standing in Mr. Morson's shop I took by degrees a drop of the perfectly pure material, and found that, on bringing it in contact with the tongue, it at first gave rise to a sweet flavor, which was rapidly followed, however, by a most disagreeable, acrid, burning sensation. The latter lasted during several minutes. Immediately after I had taken the drop, which was equal to 100 drops of the solution previously employed, I felt my pulse, and found it 105 per minute. I imagined, too, that I felt fulness in the head, and some tightness about the throat; but as these effects gradually passed off in the course of a few minutes, I thought that they were most probably due to fear and imagination. "On the 29th instant I made, in concert with Dr. Fuller of St. George's Hospital, some experiments with two different solutions of glonoine. Öne contained one drop of glonoine dissolved in ten of spirit; the other, one drop dissolved in six and three-quarters of spirit. As Dr. Fuller will, in a separate letter, describe the effects produced upon himself by glonoine, I shall limit my remarks to a description of my own sensations. At 12.45, my pulse being eighty, my respiration twenty-two per minute, I took of the solution, containing one part in six and three-quarters of spirit, a quantity equal to one-sixth of a drop of pure glonoine, which would be equal to sixteen and a half drops of the solution used by Mr. Field. At one o'clock my pulse had risen to ninety, but the respirations were about the same. I felt some fulness in the head, and slight tightness about the throat. At 1.5 I took one third of a drop (=thirty-three drops of Field's solution). In three minutes afterwards my pulse was ninety-eight. The other effects continued as before. At 1.16 I took another half-drop (= fifty drops of Field's solution), and in four minutes afterwards, my attention having been directed to another subject, my pulse had fallen to ninety-four. At 1.30 I took a whole drop of pure glonoine (= 100 drops of Field's solution), and in six minutes afterwards my pulse had gone up to 106 per minute. None of the other effects were increased. Ten minutes later, when I had become convinced that I ran no risk in thus rapidly augmenting the dose, my pulse fell to seventy-eight, while the respirations were eighteen per minute. I have, therefore, no hesitation in saying, that the effect upon the heart's action was entirely due to fear. The head and neck sensations, however, I think are too constant to be attributed to the same cause, although I have no doubt the imagination exaggerates them. During the three-quarters of an hour that this experiment lasted, I had taken altogether a quantity of glonoine equal to 1994 drops of the solution used by Mr. Field, and of which two drops were sufficient to produce in him symptoms of narcotic poisoning.

"While Dr. Fuller was with me at University College, we gave in the course of fifteen minutes a quantity of an alcoholic solution of glonoine, equal to three drops of the pure substance, to a small sickly-looking rabbit. The animal was kept under observation for more than an hour without any effect being observed.

"To a frog we gave at 1.20 some of the solution equal to two-thirds of a drop of pure glonoine. At 1.34 he was noticed to be in a convulsion. This experiment, however, scarcely deserves to be mentioned, as it is impossible to say whether the alcohol or the glonoine induced the tetanic state.

"Through the kindness of Mr. Spencer Wells, who gave me a quantity of pure glonoine, prepared by Mr. Squire, I was enabled to perform the following experiments. To a middle-sized dog I gave fifteen drops of the undiluted substance, and in three minutes afterwards I gave him other ten drops-in all, a quantity represented by 2500 drops of the solution employed by Mr. Field, and although the animal was most carefully watched during a couple of hours, no effect was detected beyond what was produced in the mouth by the acidity of the drug.

"At 11.45 I put two drops of pure glenoine into the mouth of a frog. At 12.7 he was seized with convulsions. The fore-legs were firmly clasped on his breast, and the hind-legs were stretched straight out. The slightest touch or even blowing with the breath upon him was found sufficient to induce a spasm.

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The tetanic state differed from that produced by strychnia, inasmuch as the spasms were of very short duration, almost instantaneous, and when the animal was left quiet recurred at regular intervals-eighteen in the minute. In about an hour and a half after the administration of the toxic substance, the frog was found flaccid, and nearly dead. When touched, however, slight spasm could still be induced,

"To another frog I gave three drops of pure glonoine, and in twelve minutes afterwards he was found convulsed. I watched him for nearly an hour, and he presented symptoms very similar to those already described as occurring in the previous case; the only difference being that he frequently croaked, and occasionally made a sort of screaming noise. I observed that the mucous membrane of the frog's mouth was somewhat inflamed by the drug.

"I may mention that the pure glonoine which Mr. Wells gave me, as well as that got at Morson's, is an oily-looking, pale yellowish colored liquid, soluble in alcohol and ether; and when first mixed with them yields a perfume similar to that arising from mellow apples. It is insoluble in water, in which it sinks to the bottom like chloroform. It has a sweet burning taste, is very slightly volatile, and inflammable.

"In conclusion, I have only to remark, that I have experimented upon ten different gentlemen, with glonoine obtained from four different sources, and that I have not seen any dangerous effects follow its employment when given in the before-mentioned doses; but if taken pure great caution should be used."

On the Influence of Liquor Potassæ and other Alkalies on the Therapeutic Properties of Henbane, Belladonna, and Stramonium. By A. B. GARROD, M. D., Professor of Materia Medica in the University College, London. (" Proceedings of Medical and Chirurgical Society, November 24, 1857.")

In this paper the author first alludes to the frequent exhibition of henbane with liquor potassæ, and brings forward many proofs that such combinations were often administered. He also states that the like mixtures are recommended by both medical and surgical authors. Dr. Garrod then proceeds to detail experiments, which demonstrate beyond doubt that the active principle of henbane is destroyed by liquor potassæ and other caustic alkalies; and that such a combination is inert, both when topically applied (as evidenced by the absence of power in causing dilatation of the pupil of the eye), and also when internally administered. Similar observations are next detailed upon the preparations of stramonium and belladonna, and the results are found to be the same. It is, however, shown that the carbonates and bicarbonates of the alkalies are devoid of the property of destroying the activity of the plants. In some of Dr. Garrod's experiments as much as a drachm of the extract of henbane and an ounce and a half of the tincture, were administered in combination with potash, without the production of the slightest symptom.

The results arrived at in the communication may be thus summed up:1st. Caustic alkalies, such as exist in liquor potassæ or liquor soda, entirely destroy the activity of henbane, preventing its action on the pupil when topically applied, and its influence upon the system when internally administered; and, combined with a proper amount of these alkalies, the largest doses of the preparations of henbane may be given without the production of any symp

toms.

2dly. The same influence is exerted by the fixed caustic alkalies upon belladonna and stramonium.

3dly. The carbonates and bicarbonates of potash and soda produce no injurious effects upon the preparations of any of the three above named plants. The deductions naturally to be drawn from these results are:

a. That neither liquor potassæ nor any caustic fixed alkali should be prescribed with tincture or extract of henbane, as the virtues of the latter drug are thereby completely neutralized.

b. That when it is desirable to administer an alkaline remedy with henbane, either a carbonate or bicarbonate should be selected, which would probably be equally efficacious upon the stomach, if such influence be required, and cer