of the Colchicwn autumnale on the Gout. 341 



%vas affected in the same way by the medicine received into the 

 circulation, and in a niuch sliorter tiiwe, I became satisfied that 

 in both cases tiiis arose from an effect upon the circulation, and 

 not upon the stomach, and therefore did not further prosecute 

 the inquiry; since exhibiting larger doses could only confirm 

 what is already known, namely, that the medicine is capable, 

 when injudiciously used, of producing very violent effects. 



It has been sut^gested to me since the paper was read, that 

 the oidv mode of proving that the medicine acts through the 

 medium of the circulation, is to show that when a sufficient 

 quantity is received into the blood, all the violent effects are pro- 

 duced, that result from a large dose taken by the mouth ; and 

 as I had yo object but tlie pursuit of truth, I lost ao time in 

 «:omplying with this suggestion, and introduced into the circu- 

 lation of a dog 160 drops of the same infusion before employed. 



The animal instantly lost all power of voluntary motion, the 

 breathing became extremely slow, and the pulse was hardly to 

 be felt. In ten minutes, the pulse was S4, the inspirations na- 

 tural, which are 40 in a minute. In twenty minutes, the pulse 

 was 60, the inspirations 30 in a minute, a tremulous notion liad 

 taken place in the hind legs. In an hour, the pulse was 115, 

 and irregular; the animal was capable of sitting up, but was 

 in a state of violent tremor, and the inspirations could iiot be 

 counted. 



In one hour and a half, the tremor had gone off, the pulse 

 tontiimed the same ; the animal made ineffectual attempts to 

 vomit, and continued to do so for ten minutes, accompanied 

 with great languor ; the inspirations were 54 in a minute. 



In two hours, the pulse was 150, and very v/eak ; the animal 

 liad voided one ounce and a half of water, had vomited twice, 

 each time bringing up a quantity of mucus tinged with bile, and 

 had two liquid stools. 



In three hours, had vomited again, and had another stool; the 

 pulse too weak to be counted. 



In four hours, continued extremely languid. 



In five hours, vomited some bloody mucus, and expired. 



On opening the body, the stomach contained mucus tinged 

 with blood, and its internal membrane was inflamed ; the duo- 

 denum had its interna! surface universally inflamed ; the same 

 a|)pearance in a less degree was met with in the jejunium and 

 ilium, and more strongly marked in the colon than in the ilium. 



The facts which I have now adduced, afford sufficient proof 

 of the action of the colckkum aiilumnale upon the different 

 parts of the body, being through the medium of the circulation, 

 and not in couswcquencc of its immediate effects upon the stomach 

 lud intestines, 



Y 3 LXVIII. New 



