96 



the attendant, thinking the patient in a good condition, gave eight 

 grains in two doses, at three hours interval. Soon her skin became 

 dry, and she was very restless ; in an hour she had a convulsion, 

 her pupils became dilated and she was totally blind. She was 

 rational, possessing her mental faculties in the intervals. She died 

 in two hours. 



In all that has been cited, it will be vain to seek for any 

 positively poisonous dose of quinine. The medicine possesses such 

 properties, but not any definite quantity of it, so far as we yet know. 

 On this point, and also in regard to its applicability to disease, much 

 uncertainty must exist so long as its mode of action is unsettled. 

 Martin Solon, in the article cited, treats of it as a tonic and an 

 anti-periodic. Of late, much variety of opinion on the subject has 

 been expressed. Dr. Bell considers it as a sedative;* with which 

 view it is used in the Italian hospitals given in large doses to reduce 

 action in aneurism. 



According to M'Cormick, in the article by Professor Dickson 

 already quoted, "in large doses it is sedative, anti-periodic, anti- 

 intermittent — does not augment inflammation — does not prevent the 

 cure of inflammation, but may promote it; accelerates the absorption 

 of other remedies, such as mercury — allays contingent symptoms of 

 fever, not only preventing, but arresting a paroxysm and checking 

 the progress of such lesions as may be menaced;" a list of virtues 

 long enough to make it applicable to almost every case. 



Professor Dickson remarks : "it has undoubtedly been observed 

 both to excite and calm, or tranquillize, if not depress. It depends 

 wholly on the condition of the recipient, which shall be its promi- 

 nent or lasting influence." "But even those who would endeavour 

 to explain its curative efficacy by reference to its sedative powers 

 on the one hand, or on the other to an imagined tonic property, 

 still confess that beyond these it is gifted with certain specific virtues." 



Ducros says a lotion of less than one grain applied to the velum 

 palati, produces abundant salivation in a very short time. 



87. The most common opinion, perhaps, as to the modus operandi 

 of quinine, is that it is anti-periodic. The term, it must be acknow- 

 ledged, is vague ; and when we reflect on the vast variety of diseases 

 in which periodicity is a feature; a variety including almost every 

 conceivable pathological as well as physiological condition of the 

 human system; when we reflect that this very periodicity itself 



* Banking's Half- Yearly Abstract, July to January, 1847. 



