STRYCUNOS NUx vomica. ORD. XII. Solanacew, seu Luride. 993 
‘the four persons to whom we have alluded, and who unfortunately 
perished by this deleterious drug, one was a girl ten years of age, to 
whom 15 grains were exhibited at twice for the cure of an ague. 
Loss, however, tells us that he took one or two grains of it in sub- 
-stance without discovering any bad effect; and that‘a friend of his 
swallowed a whole seed without injury. 
In Britain, where physicians seem to observe the rule saltem non 
nocere, more strictly than-in many other countries, the Nux vomida 
has been rarely if ever employed asa medicine. On the Continent, 
however, and especially in Germany, they have certainly been 
guided more by the axiom “ what is incapable of doing much harm, 
is equally unable to do much good.” The truth of this remark was 
lately very fully exemplified by the practice of Baron Stoerck; and 
is farther illustrated by the medicinal character given of Nux 
vomica, which, from the time of Gesner till that of a modern date, 
has been recommended by a succession of authors, as an antidote 
to the plague,’ as a febrifuge,* as a vermifuge,’ and as a remedy in 
mania,” hypochondriasis,” hysteria,° rheumatism,’ gout,‘ and canine 
madness.’ 
In Sweden it has of late years been successfully used in dysen- 
tery ;* but Bergius,* who tried: its effects in this disease, says, that'it 
suppressed the flux for twelve hours, which afterwards returned 
_again. A woman, who took a scruple of this drug night and morn- 
‘ing, two successive days, is said’ to have been seized with convul- 
sions and vertigo, notwithstanding which the dysenteric symptoms: 
returned, and the disorder was dared by other medicines ; but a pain’ 
in the-stomach, the effect of the Nux vomica, continued afterwards: 
for a long time. Bergius therefore thinks it should only be admi- 
nistered in the character of a tonic and anodyne ‘in small doses, 
i Gesner. Epist. p.144.  * Wedel. Ameen. Mat, Med. p. 337. Buchner. Ph. 
Brand. 61.° Hartman. De icutas §e.p.17. —' Schulz. M.M. 404, — © Albinus,. 
cited by Alston.l.c. ™ Buchner. l. c. ° Ibid. »° Wiel. Diss. de usu Nuce vom. - 
et vitr.alb.p-17. ‘Ibid. * Schultz 1c. * By Hagstrom, Odhelius, Dahlberg. ie OY 
“No, 19.—vot, 2. SL | 2 2 
