EXTERNAL APPLICATION OF VERATRIA, ETC. 19 
tartrate of antimony, and along with this treatment, frictions with 
croton oil were applied over the chest and down the left arm, until 
a pretty free eruption was brought out. Under this plan the patient, 
for the first time from the commencement of her illness, experienced 
decided relief; and it should certainly have been persevered in 
until a fair trial had been given to it, had not such a degree of 
debility supervened, as to give rise to considerable doubt whether 
or not it could be continued with safety; the cough and difficulty 
of breathing had very much diminished in severity, but the pain in 
the arm remained unabated, and at the end of ten days she would 
not consent to the further employment of the remedies, and they 
were in consequence given up. | 
Before the time at which this patient came under treatment, the 
very striking effects which the Veratria, when applied externally, 
exercises upon the pulse, in removing irregularities and intermissions, 
and in diminishing its frequency, had presented themselves to 
observation; and although it was not anticipated that very great 
benefit could arise from its use in a case so apparently hopeless, it 
nevertheless appeared probable that, at least, a temporary relief 
from the violence of the symptoms might be procured, if the medi- 
cine only acted upon the circulation, without inducing such a degree 
of general debility as had resulted from the means previously had 
recourse to. A piece, as large as a nut, of an ointment composed 
of fifteen grains of Veratria and an ounce of hog’s lard, was ac- 
cordingly directed to be rubbed twice a-day over the chest and 
along the affected arm five minutes each time, and the result very 
far exceeded the expectations formed. The first application re- 
lieved the chest symptoms considerably. The cough and breath- 
lessness, to a certain extent, subsided, and the pulse and action of 
the heart were greatly improved: the most decidedly beneficial 
effects however were produced upon the extremity; the pain and 
numbness had not altogether disappeared, but these symptoms were 
so much alleviated, as to induce the patient to state that, comparatively 
speaking, she had recovered the entire use of her arm. From this 
time the ointment was directed to be used every evening for about 
ten days, and then only occasionally, as it might be found ne- 
cessary. : . 
In about a fortnight from the first application of the Veratria, the 
patient was able to leave her room and walk up and down stairs 
with facility; and the general improvement of her health was such, 
that she ventured into the open air, but in consequence of incautious 
exposure, the symptoms returned two or three times, though by no 
means with the same severity as before; and when such an occur- 
rence took place, one or two rubbings with the ointment afforded 
complete relief. She is now in comparative health; her general 
appearance 1s good, the pain and numbness of the arm have entirely 
disappeared, the circulation is much more regular than it has been 
for a great length of time, the cough and difficulty of respiration are 
almost gone, and she can now remain in the recumbent position, 
