CAKDIAC STOrrACE. 4l'll> 



onychia of the left great toe, which had existed some time. ]t 

 was determined to remove the nail, the man having decided, 

 before entering the hospital, on taking chloroform. Oil 

 AVednesday, October 10th, at a quarter before 2 p.m., he began 

 to inhale the chloroform, with 1 draclnn in the inhaler. It 

 had no visible efiect for about two minutes ; it then excited 

 him, and the instrument was removed from the mouth, and 

 about 10 drops more were added; he then almost immediatel}^ 

 became insensible ; the chloroform was taken away, and the- 

 nail removed. He continued insensible ; and, his face becom- 

 ing dark, tlie pulse small, quick, but regular, and respiration 

 laborious, his neckerchief was removed, and the chest exposed 

 to fresli air from a window near to the bed ; cold water was 

 dashed in his face, the chest rubbed, and ammonia applied to- 

 Ids nose. After struggling for about a minute he became still, 

 the skin cold, pulse scarcely perceptible, and soon ceased to be- 

 felt at the wrist : respiration became slow at intervals, but con- 

 tinued a few seconds after the cessation of the pulse. 



The subject of the second case was Alexander Scott, aged 34^ 

 a police constable, who died in Guy's Hospital in June, 1850, 

 whilst undergoing an operation for the removal of a portion of 

 the right hand. Mr. Cock, the operator, said tliat he was cer- 

 tain there was no disease about the patient. He described tlie- 

 accident as follows : — The ordinary macliine was used, and, as it 

 had not the effect, witness directed that a napkin should be 

 folded into the shape of a cone, which was applied witli chloro- 

 form. The removal of a portion of the bone occupied one 

 minute and a half ; but, before it was completed, the blood, 

 which was gushing out, suddenly stopped, when witness directed 

 Mr. Lacy to feel the pulse of the patient, and they found that 

 he had expired. 



The sudden stoppage of the haemorrhage shows tliat, in this 

 case, as in others, the action of the heart was suddenly arrested. 

 The first attempt to cause insensibility failed in this as in some 

 other cases. 



Let us take yet another case, the second one ever recorded of 

 death under chloroform. The patient, a healthy woman, 35 

 years of age, was taking chloroform in order to have several 



