TETANISING POISONS 507 



rigid, the eyes protruding, involuntary spasms more general, 

 frequent, and severe. Two minutes later she died quietly. 

 Much smaller doses are fatal when strychnine is quickly 

 absorbed. Kaufmann states that the toxic dose for cattle 

 is 3J to 6J grains, but even a grain, given hypodermically, 

 may prove disquieting. Tabourin records the death of a 

 cow in twenty minutes from four grains placed in the 

 areolar tissues. 



Sheep are destroyed by half an ounce nux-vomica in 

 about thirty minutes, but goats appear to be less suscep- 

 tible. Pigs were violently convulsed by fifty grains of 

 nux-vomica (Tabourin), and poisoned by J to f grain of 

 strychnine (Kaufmann). 



Dogs are destroyed in two minutes by gr. J strychnine, 

 and in twelve minutes by gr. -J- (Christison). An English 

 terrier was poisoned in twenty-four minutes by gr. J ; a 

 greyhound in one hour and a half by grs. iij. ; another 

 greyhound in thirty- three minutes by gr. ss. Kaufmann 

 fixes the toxic dose at T ^ to J gr., but -^ gr. may prove 

 fatal in small animals. Dogs have been poisoned with 

 grs. viij. of nux-vomica, and cats with grs. v. Dogs moan 

 and whine, are uneasy, nauseated, sometimes vomit, tremble, 

 have muscular twitchings and general spasms, during which 

 the head is drawn upwards and backwards, and the rectal 

 temperature is raised 2 to 4 Fahr. The tetanic con- 

 vulsions continue one to two minutes, cease for several 

 minutes, but recur with increased force until death results. 



Post-mortem appearances vary with the severity and dura- 

 tion of the case. Asphyxia renders the blood dark-coloured 

 and unusually fluid ; there is venous engorgement ; con- 

 gestion of the lungs and of the cerebral and spinal meninges ; 

 dilatation of the vessels of the medulla, and sanguineous 

 extravasation into the grey matter. When the patient has 

 survived for several hours, the intestines occasionally pre- 

 sent patches of redness and congestion. Where spasms 

 have been severe and rapidly fatal, the left side of the 

 heart is firmly contracted, and contains little, if any, blood. 

 The tetanised muscles quickly undergo rigor mortis, which 

 sometimes continues longer than usual. In dogs destroyed 

 with l grain of strychnine, Dun found the buccal mucous 



