178 APPENDIX. 
LOGANIACEZ®, 
Strychnine in snake-bite. 
An interesting illustration of the antagonistic action of poisons is 
given in a letter we have received from Mr. W. Rushton, 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 reasserts itself. 
The quantity of strychnine required in some eases has amounted to 
@ grain or more within a few hours. Both poisons are thoroughly 
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 isin the habit of 
making them in the neighbourhood of the bitten part or directly 
upon it. (Pharm. Journ., Sune 13, 1891.) These results are opposed 
to the experiments instituted by the Commission appointed in India 
to investigate the influence of artificial re spiration, intravenous 
injection of ammonia, &c., in Indian and Australian snake-poisoning 
(1874). More recently, A. A. Kanthack (Jr. Physiology, Vol. XIIL, 
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 fostered as to a cure by 
chnia,” 
BORAGINEZ, 
The active principle of the Boraginesx. ‘ 
Schlagdenhauffen and Reeb have examined the roots, stalks, leaves, 
and seeds of Cynoglossum officinale and Heli otropium europeum, 
Petroleum ether extracted from the roots a coloured substance 
