86-4 
usually succeeded by tremulous motion often sufficient to shake the room, to- 
gether with very faint and very imperfect attempts at inspiration. The whole 
interval, from the commencement of the convulsion to the first full inspiration, 
varied from a minute to a minute and a half. Respiration was hurried, labored, 
stertorous, and obstructed by an abundance of frothy mucus, which filled the 
air passages and was blown from between the lips in expiration ; the breath had 
a strong odor of Tansy. Occasionally the tongue was wounded by the teeth, and 
the saliva slightly tinged with blood. Immediately after a convulsion the counte- 
nance was very pallid and livid, from the suspension of respiration, and the pulse, 
which, during the spasm, was quite forcible, full and rapid, was now exceedingly 
reduced in strength and frequency. The pulse and color then gradually returned, 
until the next spasm came on. It was very common, a few seconds after the ter- 
mination of a convulsion, for the head to be drawn slowly backward, and the eye- 
lids at the same time stretched wide open, at which times the eyes were very bril- 
liant; pupils of equal size, widely dilated, and immovable; and the sclerotics injected. 
A little inward strabismus was noticeable, of the right eye, as was, also, occasionally 
slow, lateral, rolling motion of the eye-balls. The mouth and nose were at times 
drawn a little to the right side. In the intervals of the convulsions, the limbs 
were mostly relaxed, but the jaws remained clenched. The skin was warm, but not 
remarkable as to moisture. The victim died in three hours and a half.* 
On Animals—Dr. Ely Van DeWarker records cases of the action of the 
oil upon dogs. In one case two drachms were given, causing salivation, vomiting, 
dilation of the pupils, muscular twitchings, followed by clonic spasms, and a cata- 
leptic condition from which the animal recovered. Recovery also followed a half 
ounce after the same class of symptoms, but, however, on repeating the dose, the 
already poisoned animal was plunged into a long and fatal convulsion. Post- 
mortem examination disclosed the cerebral veins and spinal cord itself highly 
congested, and serous effusions had taken place in the pia mater. The lungs 
were found to be engorged, the left heart empty, and the right distended with 
dark, liquid blood. Congestion of the kidneys had also taken place, and the 
bladder was found contracted.+ 
[he safe maximum dose of the oil is indeterminable, a few drops only 
sometimes proving serious. 
The symptoms occurring in a number of cases of poisoning and experiments, 
were substantially as follows: Mental confusion, loss of consciousness ; vertigo, 
with cephalalgia; at first contraction, then wide dilation, of the pupils, staring, 
immovable eye-balls; ringing in the ears; face congested; roughness of the 
mouth and throat, difficult deglutition; eructations, nausea, free vomiting, and 
burning of the stomach; sharp colic pains in the abdomen; diarrhoea; constant 
desire to urinate—urine at first suppressed, then profuse ; respiration hurried 
and laborious; pulse at first high, then very low and irregular; numbness of 
* J. C. Dalton, Jr., M.D., 4m. Your. Med. Sci., 1852, p. 136. 
+ The Detection of Criminal Abortion. 
