218 POISONS. 



ent circumstances. It is a comm©n but a very erroneous 

 prejudice, that it proves poisonous to such animals only as 

 are born blind. It is a deadly agent, not only to the whole 

 of the canine and feline g-enera, but it destroys hares, rab- 

 bits, horses, asses, and most birds. It is irregularly delete- 

 rious to man, fifteen grains having proved fatal to one, and 

 a whole nut or seed has failed to injure another. Leuriero 

 relates, that a horse died in four hours from a dram only. 

 Five or six grains are sufficient to kill a rabbit or hare. 1 

 destroyed a very large rabid Newfoundland dog in five mi- 

 nutes and a half by a dram of it, which was given in butter. 

 Half a dram was given to another, of middling size, which 

 destroyed him in twenty-eight minutes ; and twelve grains 

 proved fatal to a smaller one in twenty-five minutes. Al 

 watery extract is more quick, as well as more certain, in its 

 action, a few grains of which seldom fail to kill in a few 

 minutes, if given in solution: it acts less speedily when given 

 in the form of pills. But as it is, under all circumstances, 

 not uniform in its action, so I cannot, as formerly, recommend 

 it as a safe agent to depend on for the destruction of a dog. 

 When it is actually necessary to destroy one of these valuable 

 animals, humanity dictates that it should be done speedily, 

 and in a way to prolong the sufferings as little as possible- 

 In a note added to the next article, a better method will be 

 stated. It is, however, sufficiently deleterious to make it 

 very commonly resorted to on such occasions by malicious 

 persons, particularly as it can be easily procured, under pre- 

 tence of destroying vermin of various kinds. Like opium, the 

 nux vomica fails to produce any of its narcotic effects on dogs, 

 when introduced into the stomach ; but it occasions violent 

 tetanic convulsions, laborious respirations, and general torpor, 

 and it thus destroys by robbing the nervous system of its 

 energy ; and that so speedily, that its presence is not easily 

 detected by any morbid appearances occasioned : neither are 

 any means, unless immediately resorted to, sufficient to re- 

 strain its consequences. An emetic should be given within a 

 minute or two after the exhibition of the poison ; and this 



