N. MATERIA MEDICA, THERAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 547 



N. MATERIA MEDICA, THERAPEUTICS, AND 



HYGIENE. 



ANTAGONISM BETWEEN BELLADONNA AND THE CALABAR 



BEAN. 



According to numerous experiments by Professor Fraser, 

 22^ grains of atropine and 1-% grains of the extract of Cala- 

 bar bean are the smallest amounts of these substances re- 

 spectively necessary to kill a rabbit weighing 3^ pounds; 

 and the sulphate of eserine has tenfold the effect of the ex- 

 tract. Dogs are more easily affected than rabbits by atro- 

 pine, 15 grains being sufficient to kill a dog weighing 16 

 pounds. The minimum of eserine necessary to produce death 

 may, however, be greatly exceeded, doubled, or even trebled, 

 without poisonous effect, if a certain amount of sulphate of 

 atropine is administered with it; and the question naturally 

 arises whether eserine and atropine neutralize each other in 

 cases of other animals, especially since dogs and rabbits are 

 not very sensitive to atropine. 18 C\ October 29, 1873, 695. 



AUSTRALIAN CURE FOR DIPHTHERIA. 



The Australian newspapers have had much to say about a 

 cure for diphtheria, as discovered by Mr. Greathead, the se- 

 cret of which was offered to the government at a large price, 

 and which was subsequently found to consist in the admin- 

 istration of four drops of sulphuric acid in half a glass of 

 water. This causes vomiting, accompanied by the breaking 

 away of the diphtheric matter which produces the suffocation. 

 As the disease is very prevalent in Australia, the government 

 has offered a reward of 5000 for an absolute cure, and Mr. 

 Greathead is quite confident in securing this, since he claims 

 that in nearly every instance he has been successful in the 

 application of his remedy. 2 A, December 27, 1873, 528. 



EFFECT OF SENNA ON THE URINE. 



Professor Gubler has lately observed that the urine of per- 

 sons who have taken senna becomes of an intense yellow 

 color, with a green reflection, just as in jaundice; and the 



