1822.] Pulvis Antimonialis of the London Pharmacopaia. 267 
Sept. 18.—No better: has had no medicine for seven days. 
Let him take gr. xxv. for three days ; then gr. xxx. three times 
a day. 
Sept. 25.—No better. Yesterday he took once gr. xxx ; once 
gr. xl; and once gr.1; and this morning, gr. Ix. Let him take 
gr. xl. three times a day for three days ; then gr. 1 three times a 
day. 
Cet. 2.—No better. Let him take gr. Ix three times a day 
for three days ; then gr. Ixx three times a day. 
Oct. 9.—No better. Let him take gr. xc three times a day 
for three days ; then gr. c. 
Oct. 16.—No better. For the first time he complains of occa- 
sional nausea. Let him take gr. cx three times a day. 
Oct. 23.—Let him take gr. cxx twice a day. 
Oct. 30.—Much better. Let him take gr. cxv three times a 
day. 
Nov. 6.—Worse again ; sometimes feels a little nausea. 
The man, [ understand, was seen sometime afterwards not at 
all improved. 
In extraordinary conditions of the system, it is well known 
that persons are little susceptible of ordinary impressions. Dr. 
Eilfiotson relates an example of insanity in which the patient took 
80 or $€-¢rains of calomel night after night with no more effect 
than would have been produced on a person in health by a 
very few grains ; and an instance of spasmodic asthma, in which 
a young lady not in the habit of taking opium, required above 
two table spoonfuls of laudanum to dissipate the paroxysm. 
The inertness of antimonial powder cannot, however be thus ex- 
plained, because Dr. Elhiotson observed that similar doses were 
just as well borne by persons little out of health; for instance, 
by those affected with cutaneous diseases. The ignorant are not 
contented with being cured by external applications, but are 
always urgent to take some internal medicine, and to several so 
eircumstanced he administered the antimonial powder in doses 
of 90 grains, three times a day, and without any effect. 
The magnitude of the doses precludes all probability of the 
power of the medicine being lost by habit, and in the very case 
{ have transcribed, we see the dose was once increased in 24 
hours from 30 to 60 grains ; and on another occasion, at once, 
from 70 to 90 grains, without any sensible effect. Dr. Elliotson 
has furnished me with a case where the dose was at first so 
large, augmented so rapidly, and the patient’s indisposition 
was so trifling, that nothing but the inertness of the preparation 
will account for the fact. 
A footman in his family, aged 21 years, was seized Feb. 21, 
1821, with the common symptoms of catarrh. He was ordered 
10 me of antimonial power at bed time. 
eb. 22.—No effect: ordered gr. xxx immediately. In the 
evening, there had been no effect: ordered gr. lx. 
