rams in ne neck and be; sparks before the eyes,

Le cases of pusing by Belladonna berries, given by Mr

es a rel2 Fred Dec. 3, 1859, we see symptoms x:: À La ixst. The symptoms, he says, appeared in Angolan. Orgness of menth and throat; indistinctness of panda Pratimning nger than any other symptom ases kin' The delirium was of a busy, rest i ehere, but generally rather pleasing than otherwise TAPAUS KNIed a think they were pursuing their ordinary avoze ar was eager in flying a kite; another pulled chairs Mi. 2.8 stua thinking he was working in a coal-pit. A woman royaly by her ordinary household duties. All their

mas vore of a quick, excited character; the skin was in most as mera yol palse rapid, but without power."

Stan wan and Hogares may be exhibited in cases complissed ♥ a enkpile paroxysms, when there are: convulsive movesadsa tus tend num; fainting fits; muttering delirium; picking so magpary objects; suppression of the secretions; extreme irritaWhy, castant and rapid motions; contraction and stretching of the inst rasellet etsy and difficult to manage.

The vapor of Sulphurisetier, of Chloroform, and the nitrous on le gas way be inhaled with advantage in cases which are characgoosed in Je commencement by great mental exhilaration; increased misolar free; constant desire to move about rapidly, to dance, to ang to leap to sight, or do something extravagant; flushed cheeks; soccerasi respiration, frequent pulse, succeeded in a short time by yonida ni Sven, or sleep disturbed by visions; general insensibility to sa vera” “impressions, with pallid and death-like expression of counMany cases have been cured by these remedies.

An Aglish physician has published an account of his prva moto of Dhamalady, with enormous doses of Digitalis. The medical credited it, and were slow to adopt what seemed to be 16 a sous experiment. But the remedy was tried by some of the As wearers of the profession, and it exceeded their expectations. narier 7 acts is still a question of much doubt. Cases have sa tai savesʻily with half ounce doses.

-The patient was of middle age, a German, who Not skig poor whiskey, excessively. He was very furious, Avex trying to get away from imaginary devils, which abot pursuit. The pulse was over 100; hands and Nach eyes glossy and injected. He was very much A lot oxity, and could hardly be restrained. Nux 1, gven with no apparent effect. Stram. and

Hyos. were tried in vain. In the night one-quarter grain doses of Morphine were given every half hour, but after four grains he was as wild and excited as ever. Digitalis was given in drachm-doses, repeated every two hours. After the second drachm had been taken ten or fifteen minutes, the man got up from his chair, and in trying to get out of the door, fell down insensible. His pulse was then firm and 86. He was laid upon the bed, and in about twenty minutes awoke perfectly rational and calm! No other medicine was needed, and in a few days he was at work.

In a case related by Dr. Carey, Opium aggravated the symptoms; whilst half an ounce of tincture of Digitalis, with an equal quantity of gin, caused the patient to fall into a deep sleep, which continued without intermission for twelve hours. He awoke quite rational and in two days was quite well. The Digitalis did not produce its alleged results, diarrhoea and vomiting, nor were the kidneys stimulated to increased action. The influence of the drug on the pulse was not such as to offer any barrier to its repetition.

"The large doses of tinct. Digitalis, half ounce doses, at long intervals of twenty-four hours, may be given safely. The pulse falls, but acquires power and steadiness, and the tremor subsides. It is best to confine its use to young and robust subjects, whose strength has not been broken down by prolonged habits of intemperance, and to cases of excessive drinking. (Dr. Peacock.)

Cimifuga.-King, in his Disp., (Art. Cimicifuga), says: "I have known three drops of the saturated tincture, given every hour for three hours, to produce symptoms in every way simulating those of delirium tremens."

And yet this same remedy is advised by all eclectic writers, and is used with great success in all diseases characterised by excessive nervous irritability. It is said to allay nervous excitement promptly, and ward off impending spasms; to "lessen the tendency to cerebral congestion, and quiet the pulse." In my practice small doses fulfil these indications admirably in many instances. (Dr. Hale.)

Asarum-europæum.-This plant is known in Russia as a remedy for the effects of alcohol poisoning. The effects required to restore the inebriate are various; he has been injured in the gastric mucous membrane; he has become a dyspeptic; the nervous centres have been overstrained to high preternatural exertion; and the blood itself has become loaded with an injurious foreign material; he has acquired a true dyscrasia. Whether the Asarum is capable of fulfilling all the indications remains to be further tested.

It acts, 1. By partially restoring the digestive power which has been almost destroyed by the poison. The aromatic principle, says Dr. Smirnaff, has an influence in "regulating the condition of the intestinal

discharges, producing purging and vomiting when given in large doses."*

2. It restores the defective appetite.

3. Counteracts the irresistible longing for alcohol. "The horrible sensations with which drunkards awake in the morning, and which compels them to seek temporary and delusive relief from renewed intoxication, are much blunted and mitigated by means of a glass of the infusion of Asarum, and of some nervine, as Valerian. Its immediate effect is often to produce vomiting, and sometimes purging; but the painful sensations at the epigastrium undergo relief, and the appetite becomes invigorated." In cases of persons who have long been accustomed to alcoholic drinks, Dr. Smirnaff gives the Asarum in brandy, applying at the same time a counter-irritant to the pit of the stomach. As soon as it is possible to omit the allowance of alcohol, it should be prohibited.

In persons who have long been accustomed to periodical paroxysms of drunkenness, with intervening intervals of soberness, the constant use of the Asarum has enabled the patient to postpone the periods of drunkenness, and the consequent delirium tremens. The patients themselves are sometimes surprised at the effect of the Asarum in lessening the injurious results of prolonged intemperance. Dr. Smirnaff prescribes three or four glasses a day of an infusion made with zii. of Asarum root, zi. of Valerian root, and 3ss. of Orange-peel. The following is also a popular remedy in Russia for drunkenness : R. Ammon.-carb. 3ss., Aceti.-vini. lb. i., Oxymel-scill. 3ss. Two table-spoons full every two hours.

PROPHYLACTICS.-Hering proposes the following remedies: “Take Sulphur every morning seven days. Should the craving abate and return afterwards, let him take Nux-vomica in the evening; if it return again in two or three days after, give Sulphur, repeating these remedies in the same order. If this be unsuccessful, give Arsenicum. If this does good but temporarily, give Nux-vomica one day, and three days after Arsenicum."

Sulphuric-acid.-Hering also adopts this remedy from popular practice. One drop only in a glass of water, to be taken every morning for two or three days, until it produces disagreeable symptoms. In cases where this quantity would fail, he gives it in larger quantity, so as to make the water taste perceptibly sour. This is to be continued till it produces soreness of the mouth.

Ipecacuanha, Mr. Higginbottom, (Lancet, 1857, p. 525,) says in emetic doses at the beginning of a fit of intemperance, removes the desire for intoxicating drinks. Being less debilitating than Tartar

† Med. Zeit., Russland, 1859, No. 8.

emetic, it does little injury if often repeated. It stimulates the whole system, equalizes the circulation, and promotes the deranged secretions. It is proposed to continue this practice for fourteen days: as Marshall said, "If a man gets drunk, he cannot altogether get rid of the nervous poison of alcohol from his body in less time than a fortnight."

3. ALCOHOLISMUS.-CHRONICUS.

Under this title, Dr. Huss, of Sweden, has explained the disease which results from "prolonged and habitual dram-drinking." In a work published at Stockholm, 1851, he says, (p. 18), "We give the name alcoholismus-chronicus to those groups of nervous symptoms, which affecting alike the motor and sensorial powers, and the mental faculties of the individual affected, proceed generally in a slow and chronic course, and are not to be referred directly to any lesion of the nervous system appreciable during life, or discoverable on post-mortem examination. Such symptoms are to be met with in persons who have long taken ardent spirits in excess." "There are many men who drink habitually six or eight glasses of undiluted spirits daily for several years without greatly deranging their health. I have known a few men who continued to be habitually intemperate to advanced age, retaining robust health. But these were extraordinary cases. It is much more usual to see a gradual change come over the habitual spirit-drinker, until he finds himself in the height of a paroxysm of delirium tremens, from which he never fully recovers. He begins to find his digestive powers impaired; he becomes dyspeptic, and can only eat solid food by taking a drink of brandy with each mouthful." Some when trying to keep sober take only vinegar or hot spices.

Dr. Huss details one case in which all these symptoms were regularly developed; and after efforts at reform and some treatment there was some improvement. On resuming his former habits and again neglecting to take his ordinary meals, the symptoms returned, and digestion became more deranged than before. There was now frequent vomiting of tough acid mucus, with a sense of weight and distention. at the epigastrium after taking food; there were emaciation, discoloring of the skin, which was of a dirty yellow. The sensation was now of ants creeping in the skin; muscular debility accompanied by painful cramps and startings in the feet and calves of the legs, reseinbling electric shocks, extending from the extremities to other parts of the body, and increased in severity till complete epileptic seizures, followed by delirium and hallucinations, were of daily occurrence. Vision became imperfect, the letters of a book seeming to run together in a confused mass: and the powers of thought and memory were

diminished. At a later period he had severe pains in the legs, resembling such as would be made by burning or cutting with knives. When least severe there was still great restlessness, and he continually moved the legs in bed. The strength declined, diarrhoea came on, he was perfectly emaciated; the skin assumed the appearance of parch ment. The patient sank into low-muttering delirium, and died of complete exhaustion. (See Huss, p. 21.)

DIAGNOSIS.-Distinguished from lead-poisoning by the fact of the previous intemperate character of the patient; and the absence of the blue circle upon the gums, the peculiar nauseous smell of the breath, which are characteristic of lead-poisoning. The skin in alcoholismus is of a yellow hue, in lead-poisoning it is a dusky gray. In the former there are symptoms of gastro-enteritis, commonly preceded by one or more attacks of delirium tremens.

The tremors in this disease somewhat resemble those from slow poison by Arsenic; but in the latter they are not relieved by a dose of Alcohol. They are not more severe in the morning than at other times, and are usually accompanied by spinal irritation. In Alcholismus the mind is impaired; there are vertigo, ringing in the ears, muscæ volitantes, dilated pupils, hallucinations and delirium, which do not occur in poisoning by Arsenic.

Mercurial fumes from the operation of water-gilding produce nervous tremors, loosening of the teeth, pains in the limbs, and salivation; but the mind is not affected. These tremors are less benefitted by stimulants than those from Alcohol, even temporarily. Ploucquet formerly referred many of the symptoms of this disease to the copper-vessels in which distillation was carried on; but copper vessels are now less exclusively used, and yet alcoholic poisoning progresses with the increased consumption of alcoholic liquors in every form.

Phosphorus.-Its fumes produce formications, tremors, muscular debility; and the operatives in friction-match manufactories are liable to a peculiar form of caries of the jaw-bones (See Phosphor-necrosis, p. 362.) But there are none of the characteristic cerebral symptoms of Alcohol.

Secale-cornutum produces some of the symptoms of Alcohol; but in Secale they are more rapidly developed; they commence with mere pain of the stomach, and are accompanied with colic and jerking, convulsive movements of the limbs, followed by paralysis and anesthesia. Women are more often affected by ergot than men: it is likely to poison many persons in a community at the same time, including persons of all ages and conditions, if they have taken of the deleterious food. But the brain is generally unaffected; the skin has not the characteristic yellowish hue; and the digestive functions after a time recover their tone, without the persistent gastritis.