550 ACONITE POISONING 



was opened, the lips retracted, and four or five ounces of frothy mucus 

 discharged on the ground. The pulse had fallen to 40, and become 

 weak. On account of the retching, the respirations could not be counted. 

 Sweating broke out over the body ; the mucous membranes of the mouth, 

 nose, and eyes were pallid, and there were fibrillary twitchings of the 

 muscles, especially about the head and neck. 2 P.M. Pulse 38, and weak ; 

 the respirations not easily counted, but probably about 9 ; in other respects 

 no change. The animal passed faeces and urine freely ; and, shortly after 

 taking a pint of cold water, lay down somewhat relieved, with the retching 

 scarcely so frequent. At 2.30 the pulse was somewhat weaker ; the breath- 

 ing irregular, interrupted, and sighing ; and the animal unable to rise. The 

 labial and nasal muscles were contracted, causing retraction of the lips, and 

 disclosing the gums blanched, and the teeth covered with frothy mucus. 

 Two bottles of strong ale were given, with half an ounce of spirit of 

 ammonia. At 3 P.M. the pulse was 35, and still weaker than before ; 

 respiration was somewhat accelerated, probably owing to the animal being 

 down ; profuse sweating continued and the retching, though somewhat 

 subsided, still came on about every ten minutes. The animal remained 

 down without much change until about 6, when the nausea was somewhat 

 diminished, but the pulse so weak as to be scarcely perceptible. He was 

 raised with difficulty, and stood, blowing much, for fifteen minutes. At 7 

 there was little change ; the pulse remained imperceptible, the respirations 

 about 20, and there was no appetite for food or drink. He was left with 

 the expectation of finding him dead next morning, but at 7 A.M. he was up 

 and eating. His pulse was 65, his respirations 10, and his appearance very 

 haggard and reduced. He continued in much the same state for a week, 

 never regained his former look or appetite, for two days was unable to rise 

 or stand, and became much wasted. He was destroyed by six drachms 

 of prussic acid ; but, on post-mortem examination, every part except the 

 lungs seemed healthy. These organs, more especially the right lung, were 

 extensively studded with patches of extravasated blood about the size of 

 walnuts, which, in those parts connected with the pulmonary tissue, were 

 more or less softened, and emitted an odour characteristic of heated, 

 decomposed blood. The rusty fluid produced from the softening had in 

 various places passed into the bronchi, imparting to their frothy mucus a 

 brown colour. 



A cat of average size got seven minims of Fleming's tincture of aconite. 

 In two minutes severe retching came on, with a copious supply of saliva, 

 probably arising from paralysis of the fauces ; and in five minutes painful 

 vomiting and involuntary muscular contractions of a most active kind, with 

 perverted action of the voluntary muscles, causing the animal to leap up 

 the wall and turn somersaults backwards. In this, as in most other cases, 

 the pupil, at first somewhat contracted, ultimately became dilated. The 

 pulse was reduced in volume and strength, shortly becoming very weak ; 

 the breathing was gasping. The vomiting and inordinate muscular action 

 continued until within two or three minutes of death, which took place 

 twenty minutes after the administration of the poison. No morbid or 

 peculiar post-mortem appearances were observable. 



A medium-sized Scotch terrier got thirty minims of Fleming's tincture. 

 In five minutes painful and active vomiting came on, which must have 

 effectually emptied the stomach. The retching and vomiting continued, 

 however, for half an hour, when the animal was so exhausted and paralysed 

 in its hind extremities as to be unable to walk, except by supporting itself 

 on its fore-limbs and dragging the hind-quarters. It gradually recovered, 

 however, in about two hours. In some cases a drachm of Fleming's 

 tincture has destroyed dogs with as much rapidity as an equal quantity of 

 prussic acid. 



