1 78 ArrENDix. 



LOGANIACEiE. 

 Strychnine in snake-bite. 



An interesting illustration of the antagonistic action of poisons is 

 given in a letter we have received from Mr. W. Eushton, addressed 

 to his brother in Tasmania by Dr. Mueller, of Yackandandah, 

 Victoria, in which he states that in cases of snake-bite he is using a 

 solution of nitrate of strychnine in 240 parts of water mixed with a 

 little glycerine. Twenty minims of this solution are injected in 

 the usual manner of a hypodermic injection, and the frequency of 

 repetition depends upon the symptoms being more or less threaten- 

 ing, say from 10 to 20 minutes. When all symptoms have 

 disappeared, the first independent action of the strychnine is shown 

 by slight muscular spasms, and then the injections must be discon- 

 tinued unless after a time the snake-poison again reassei'ts itself. 

 The quantity of strychnine required in some cases has amounted to 

 a grain or more within a few hours. Both poisons are thoroughly 



4 



antagonistic, and no hesitation need be felt in pushing the use of 

 the drug to quantities that would be fatal in the absence of snake- 

 poison. Out of about one hundred cases treated by this method, 

 some of them at the point of death, there has been but one failure, 

 and that arose from the injections being discontinued after one and 

 a quarter grain of strychnine had been injected. Any part of the 

 body will do for the injections, but Dr. Mueller is in the habit of 

 making them in the neighbourhood of the bitten part or directly 

 upon it. {F/iarm. Journ., June 13, 1891.) These results are opposed 

 to the experiments instituted by the Commission appointed in India 

 to investigate the influence of artificial respiration, intravenous 

 injection of ammonia, &c., in Indian and Australian snake-poisoning 

 (1874). More recently, A. A. Kanthack (Jr. Phy.siology^ Vol. XIII., 

 Nos^ 3 and 4, 1892) has shown that strychnine is neither a chemical 

 nor physiological antidote of cobra -albumose ; and he is of opinion 



that *'no false hopes should be raised or fostea-ed as to a cure by 



strychnia." 



BORAGINEiE. 



r 



The active principle of the Boraginece. 

 Schlagdenhauffen and Reeb have examined tlie roots, stalks, leaves 



and seeds of Cynoglo!^^ntn officinale and Ileliotropinm europcenm. 



Petroleum ether extracted from the roots a coloured subiitancc 



