Vegetable Irritant. 59 



VEGETABLE IRRITANT. 



Ergot of Rye. 



It has long been known that this fungus, adminis- 

 tered to the females of the lower animals, or to women, 

 produces contractions of the involuntary muscular 

 fibres of the uterus ; and also of the involuntary fibres 

 of the bladder, of the intestinal canal, of the smallest 

 bronchial tubes, and, probably, of the muscular coats 

 of the blood-vessels. Hence, it has been administered 

 with great benefit in cases of lingering labour, when 

 the cause has been only inertia of the uterus. Also, 

 it has been useful in haemorrhage from the uterus, 

 more particularly in post-parfcum haemorrhage. In 

 bleeding from the lungs, its beneficial effects have 

 been recorded. 



From the records of medical science there is no doubt 

 that, in the hands of a skilful practitioner, this is a very 

 valuable aid to "obviate the tendency to death;" but at 

 the same time, in the hands of an unskilled practitioner, 

 it is a very dangerous agent. 



I thought that, possibly, cases might occur in which 

 an instantaneous action of the drug might be necessary. 

 I therefore injected a solution of the drug with the 

 following results : 



EXPERIMENT. 

 (From Dr. 0. V. Lawrence's Notes.) 



September 7, 1875, at 11.10a.m. Two fluid drachms 

 of the extractum ergotse liquidum were injected into 



