506 NUX-VOMICA AND STRYCHNINE 



merit when touched, and tetanic spasms. Twelve hours 

 later the pulse was 96, and subsequently rose to 120. Blood- 

 letting and fomentations gave no relief, and in a convulsive 

 paroxysm the horse died. The membranes of the brain 

 and cord were injected, the lungs engorged. The toxic 

 dose is stated by Frohner and Kaufmann to be three to 

 five grains. Half a grain, given hypodermically, induced 

 in half an hour general muscular rigidity. Ten drachms 

 of nux-vomica in powder caused muscular tremors but in 

 solution proved fatal in ten hours (Hertwig). Coleman gave 

 a mare two ounces in a drench ; within an hour, and after 

 the animal had drunk some water, she had violent tetanic 

 symptoms, and died half an hour later. Ounce doses, 

 given a glandered horse, caused tetanic spasms, but were 

 not fatal. Moiroud states that the fatal dose of nux- 

 vomica for a horse is one to two ounces. 



Cattle withstand larger doses than do horses when the 

 poison is given by the mouth, whether in solution or bolus. 

 Macgillivray gave an old cow thirty grains strychnine, 

 and, shortly after, sixty grains, both doses in solution, with 

 the result of a few spasmodic tremors, which continued for 

 about twenty minutes. Dun gave a small red cow, affected 

 with pleuro-pneumonia, grs. xv. strychnine, suspended in 

 two ounces of oil, at 12 o'clock. At 12.30 the pulse had 

 risen from 70 to 78, regurgitation was observable in the 

 jugular veins, quivering and twitching affected the facial 

 muscles, particularly during inspiration. At 12.45 the pulse 

 numbered 84, and the symptoms were aggravated. Grs. ij. 

 were given, dissolved in diluted acetic acid ; and in a quarter 

 of an hour the animal was very uneasy, and attempted to 

 vomit ; the pulse was 94, full and strong ; the pupils much 

 dilated. At 1.30 the nausea and efforts to vomit were much 

 increased, the breathing more laboured ; the animal lay 

 down, and the pulse shortly fell to 58. At 2.15 the nausea 

 was diminished, and the pulse 92. Grs. xxx. were then given 

 in acetic acid and water. At 2.20 the pulse was 100, sharp 

 and distinct. The muscles were affected by frequent spasms. 

 At 2.25 the pulse was 140, and the animal very sensitive 

 to light, sound, and external impressions. It reeled and 

 fell. At 2.30 the pulse had risen to 160, the limbs were very 



