40 Analjifis and Experiments with Sulphate of Strentian, ife. 



macerated. Five grains of barites in a fecond experiment, and two in a third, killed fitnilar 

 rabbits with the fame efFedt on the flomach, only the faeces were not fo much foftened. 

 Forty grains of fulphate of barites had no eiFeft ; twelve grains of carbonate of ftrontites, 

 obtained from the Briftol fulphate, a£ted as a cathartic only: of the fulphate itfelf, twelve 

 grains had no efFe6l. This feems to (how that ftrontites might be tried with little rlfk, as a 

 medicine, if any analogy (hould afford hope of benefit from it. 



At my further requeft the following experiments were tried. Five grains of carbonate of 

 barites, mixed with five of Cayenne pepper, were given to a fimilar rabbit, which lived five 

 hours, and was not much affcfled, till within an hour of its death, when it fuffered as in the 

 firft experiment, and the ftomach was fimilarly injured. Confidering that fulphate of barites 

 has no adlion, by reafon, probably, of its infolubility, I thought it poffible, that innoxious ab- 

 forbents might engage the acid of the ftomach, and prevent the effect of carbonate of barites; 

 in which cafe, under certain circumftances, we fhould be provided with an antidote for this 

 deadly poifon. The following experiments ftiew the conjeflure to be erroneous. Five 

 grains of barites, with five grains of prepared potafti, were given to a rabbit; the animal 

 feemed immediately affefted, in lefs than an hour was fcarce able to move, and in lefs than two 

 hours died convulfed, with a ftomach extremely injured, as before. Five grains of carbonate 

 of barites, with twenty of chalk, deftroyed a rabbit in five hours : the animal died tranquilly. 

 Carbonate of barites five grains, with olive oil, killed a rabbit in lefs than two hours. The 

 animal having remained all night unopened, the inner coat of the ftomach was fo much 

 loofened, as to ftiakc out with its contents. Happening to try calcareous liver of fulphur as 

 an antidote, my frieihd obferved the following phenomena. 



Four grains of carbonate of barites, with a teafpoonful of a folutlon of fulphure of lime, 

 being given to a rabbit two months old, the animal died immediately. The ftomach being 

 inftantly examined, was found of a dark colour, and at its curvature (qu. the great curva- 

 ture?) converted in a yellow fpongy fubftance, which looked as if burned by a cauftic, and 

 ■when removed, left but a very thin membrane. The contents of the ftomach near the dark- 

 ened part, which feemed bounded by a whitifli line, were alfo dark coloured. The whole 

 inner coat was deftroyed. As this rabbit, two days before, had been fubjefted to an expe- 

 riment with fulphate of barites, it was neceflary to afcertain whether this had not fbme fliare 

 in the unexpected effeft. A teafpoonful, therefore, of the fame folution of calcareous ful- 

 phure was given to a full grown rabbit ; it had the fame immediate effeft in deftroying life ; 

 and the ftate of the ftomach was found to be the fame. On the 26th of January, 17^9, a 

 piece of folid fulphure of pot-afli, about the fize of a pea, was given to a rabbit; and an hour 

 afterwards, another piece of the fame fize. A few minutes after the firft dofe, the animal 

 had convulfions of the {kin, which were confiderably increafed by the fecond. The whole 

 head then began to fwell, and in two hours the tongue was fo enlarged, as to be frequently 

 bitten in attempts to mafticate. In two hours and a half, the fwelling was fo large, and the 

 breathing attended with fuch difficulty, and croup-like npife, that it feemed probable, the animal 

 had but few minutes to live. The operator, heartily fick of thrfe cruel experiments, and un- 

 willing to facrlfice more vidlims, gave the rabbit two teafpoonfuls of olive oil, and was much 

 pleafed to find that in ten minutes it appeared much relieved, and that the noife in refpiration, 



bad 



