hi consequence of the Bite of a Rattlesnake, 21 1 



the hack on the right side a mottled appearance. The 

 whole arm and hand was cold, but painfnl when pressed; 

 the skin was very tense; on the inside of the arm below 

 the axilla, and near the elbow, vesications had formed; 

 and under each of the vesications there was a red spot in 

 the cutis, of the size of a crown piece. The skin generally 

 over the body had become warm. He was low and de- 

 pressed ; there was a tremulous motion of his lips, and the 

 faintings recurred at nearly the same intervals as in the 

 preceding evening. The last dose of medicine was re- 

 jected by vomiting, but some warm wine remained on his 

 stomach. The arm was fomented. At twelve o'clock, in 

 addition to the above symptoms, there was a starting of his 

 limbs. He had attempted to take some broth, but his 

 stomach did not retain it. The skin of the whole arm had 

 a livid appearance, similar to what is met with in a dead 

 body, when putrefaction has begun to take place, unlikfc 

 any thing which I had ever seen in so large a portion of the 

 living body. An obscure fluctuation was felt under the 

 skin of the outside of the wrist and forearm, which induced 

 me to make a puncture with a lancet, but only a small 

 portion of a serous fluid was discharged. My colleague, 

 Dr. Nevinson, was present at this visit, and we agreed to 

 continue the internal use of the volatile alkali, with the 

 view of rousing the stomach to action, not considering it as 

 having any specific power over the poison. • At eleven 

 o'clock in the evening, finding that his stomach did not 

 always retain the medicines, nor even small quantities of 

 brandy, which we're given him, I directed the volatile alkali 

 to be left off, and two grains of opium to be given, and 

 repeated every four hours. At this time his pulse was 

 scarcely perceptible at the wrist, the fainting fits were not 

 less frequent. The vesications and red spots were increased 

 in size. 



October 19. At nine o'clock in the morning his pulse 

 was scarcely perceptible: his extremities were cold; the 

 vesications were larger, and the size of the arm was dimi- 

 nished. He was drowsy, probably from the effect of the 

 opium. He had taken nothing but brandy during the 

 night. At three o'clock in the afternoon he was more 

 depressed : spoke only in whispers : the vesications were 

 increased: the fainting fits less frequent. The aim wa$. 

 diminished in size, and he had sensation in it down to the 

 fingers. At eleven o'clock at night his pulse beat 130 in a 

 minute, and was low. The opium was left off. A stool 

 was procured by clyster. He was ordered to have a glass 



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