INFLAMMATIONS. 141 



tins case : persons then bear it with impunity, who would have 

 been thrown into a temporary fever by the fourth part of the 

 quantity taken at any other time. I need not speak of some 

 analogies of various affections of the nervous System, which will 

 bear unusual and uncommonly large doses of opium, such as 

 tetanus ; and perhaps that is to be attended to in other cases. 

 It appears from hence, that there is something in the system 

 which resists the usual powers of opium, or any such narcotic ; 

 and a similar circumstance occurs in the case of spirits employed 

 in the gout : whereas in ordinary health four ounces of spirits 

 would have given some degree of intoxication, and double that 

 quantity would have effectually intoxicated them, persons in 

 this fit will take double that quantity without any appear- 

 ance of intoxication, and till the pain is removed out of the 

 stomach, they find no such symptoms ; but as soon as it has 

 overcome the violence of the spasm, an intoxication is immedi- 

 ately induced, and a stupor comes on, and in many cases we 

 would be extremely puzzled how to measure the doses, were it 

 not that circumstance : but so long as we find that it does not 

 take any effect upon the nervous system in producing more or 

 less of the symptoms of intoxication, we are still safe in pushing 

 the dose further." 



In a case of gout of the stomach, I have by degrees gone 

 to the dose of ten grains of opium, twice a day : and when the 

 disease was overcome, the dose of opium was gradually diminish- 

 ed, till in the course of two or three weeks it was none at all ; 

 and by all this no harm appeared to be done to the system. 



I can vouch for the powers of musk in several circumstances 

 of the gout. The case given by Mr. Pringle, in the Physical 

 and Literary Essays, Vol. II. Art. XII. is very much in fa- 

 vour of its virtues ; and in several circumstances of the gout 

 attacking the stomach, I have found it relieved by large doses 

 of musk. I have known an instance of headach and delirium, 

 arising from gout, being cured by it ; and in the same person I 

 had repeated instances of its powers. This person being fre- 

 quently affected with the gout, was liable to have it retrocedent, 

 and affecting the stomach, lungs, and particularly the head, in 

 the manner above-mentioned ; and in many of these instances, 

 it was very suddenly relieved by large doses of musk, or by 



