1 50 On the Fir lues and Principles of Cantharidey. 



2d, That aqueous extract of cantharides in less doses than 

 canlharidcs themselves, gradually produce?; the same effects; 

 but that its action on the urinary passages is more striking, 



3d, That the black matter is much more active than the 

 extract ; that animals to which it is given are subject to 

 pain and vomiting, but rarely any of them perish. 



- 4th, That the green matter given internally does not 

 seem to have deleterious qualities, since all animals to 

 which it is administered, even in pretty strong doses, have 

 not seemed to experience any bad effects. 



5th, That the yellow matter does not appear to be more 

 active than the green matter. 



6th, That the extract, the yellow naatter and the black 

 matter, applied all three separately to the surface of the 

 body, produce the vesicant effect nearly in the sanjc time. 



7th, That the green matter applied externally seenas not 

 to act when alone ; but that its action soon appears when 

 mixed with wax, and when reduced by these means lo the 

 consistence of cerate, 



I must not forget to observe that C. Beaupoil was not 

 satisfied with trials made on animals, but had the courage 

 to repeat them on himself. After acquiring all the infor- 

 mation nccessar-', he thinks he is authorised to assert that 

 the vesicant property resides essentially in the extractive 

 ar.'l arecn part of the cantharides, but that the extractive 

 part alone acts on the urinary and genital system. 



From these details it is seen that the autiior has carried 

 his examination of cantharides further than Thouvcnel. 

 Kut though his labour is very extensive it is still far fi-om 

 bcino- complete, since many things remain to be done, par- 

 ticularly in what relates to the green matter; for it is difii- 

 cult to conceive how, when administered internally, it has 

 no action on the animal ceconomy; while applied exter- 

 nally it produces the vesicant effect. 'I'his objection which 

 I made to the author, and of which he felt the importance, 

 will no doubt induce him to make new experiments, in 

 order to ascertain what ought to be expected from the use 

 ©f the different parts of this substajicC;, from which medicine 

 derives so ^reat beneilt. 



XXIII. Oh- 



