60 - TURNBULL ON RANUNCULACES. 
character ; and this probably arises from the extract containing 
what is called the acrid principle of the plant, as well as the alcaloid 
itself ; and it is absolutely necessary that with this preparation also, 
these sensations should be induced, in order to its having a full 
effect on the disease for which it is applied. 
_ In less severe cases, the simple saturated tincture of the dried 
root, with or without the addition of a little ammonia, may be used ; 
it has similar properties, but in a much smaller degree of develop- 
ment, with the two preparations above mentioned, and the same 
instruction as to its use ought to be attended to. 
Severe Case of Neuralgia in the Finger, treated by Prepara- 
tions of Aconite. 
Tux following case has been selected as affording the most con- 
clusive evidence possible of the efficacy of preparations of Aconite 
in removing Neuralgia. It is one of the most severe and obstinate 
on record ; and during a period of above two years, had resisted 
every means that could be devised for its removal. The previous 
history and treatment are taken from a very able lecture on Neu- 
ralgia by Dr. Elliotson, which was published in the Lancet of De- 
cember Sth, 1832. 
Samuel Best, residing No. 7, Somers Street, Liquorpond Street. 
“This man was a journeyman printer, aged 32, and had been ill 
two years. He first of all had pain of the legs, arms, and wrists, 
and when he came in, the pain was confined to the middle-finger 
of the left-hand, on each side, along the course of the nerve. The 
other fingers of the same hand were benumbed—were without any 
great degree of feeling, but the thumb was unaffected. Originally 
he had had pain on the right side of the face—that is on the oppo- 
site side of the body, and the pain then commenced in the sub- 
maxillary nerve, and extended upwards, so as partly to affect the 
second branch of the fifth pair, as well as the third. It is there- 
fore to be recollected, that he had had Neuralgia in another part of 
the body. All this, however, had ceased a month before admission, 
at which time he had only pain on each side of the middle-finger, 
and after that had existed some time, the other fingers had heecame | 
benumbed. ae : 
“The pain was of a very agonising character ; a plunging. stab- 
bing pain, as though you were running a penknife along the finger. 
Patients usually describe the pain in neuralgia as stabbing and 
plunging. The least touch gave him violent pain, like an electrie 
shock. As the least touch produced such: violent pain, he could 
not bear his nails to be cut, and the consequence was, that the nails 
of that hand had grown to a great length. He could not sustain 
the motion of the hand which the cutting of the nails necessarily 
produced, and the agony of the pain was such, that he bit the 
nails of the fingers of the other hand, so that the nails on 
the fingers of it were eaten down by him in his agony,as far as they 
