ANGINA PECTORIS. 103 



been able to resume his occupation. When he is on the box driving, and he 

 s the onset of the pain, he pulls out the bottle and takes one long sniff, 

 and is all right again. On one occasion when in the country he broke his bottle. 

 He fortunately managed to save a few drops, and with this to help him on his way, 

 i ted off to London to obtain a fresh supply. Nothing would induce 

 him to be without it ; it is more than gold to him it is life itself. When he has the 

 ainvl in his possession he feels perfectly safe. So confident is he of its power to cut 

 short an attack that he has no hesitation in stooping down and inducing the pain, if 

 requested to do so. The nitrite of amyl has for him robbed the disease of half its 

 terrors. This case is not an isolated one. 



A medical man residing at Torquay who had long suffered from angina pectoris, 

 in describing the relief he obtained from nitrite of amyl, says : " The result of the 

 first trial of five drops inhaled during a severe attack in the night was truly 

 wonderful. The spasm was, as it were, strangled at its birth. It certainly did not 

 last two minutes, instead of the old weary twenty. And so it continued. The 

 frequency of the paroxysms was not diminished for some time, but then they were 

 bagatelles as compared with their predecessors. Under these improved circumstances 

 strength gradually returned, the attacks became gradually less and less frequent, and 

 finally ceased." After this striking testimony we need say nothing more in favour of 

 this truly marvellous remedy. We have had many opportunities of closely observing 

 its effects, and entertain not the slightest doubt of its efficacy. Nitrite of amyl is now 

 ;i pharmacopoeal drug, and no difficulty will be experienced in obtaining it. Many 

 chemists keep little glass capsules, each containing enough for a single inhalation. 

 Half-a-dozen may be carried in the waistcoat pocket, and 011 the onset of an 

 attack one may be placed in a handkerchief and broken. They have the advantage 

 of being portable, and with them it is impossible to use more than the prescribed 

 quantity, but usually the patient prefers having the bottle. 



Another valuable remedy for angina pectoris will be found in nitro-glycerine, 

 or glonoine, as it is sometimes called. This powerful explosive may be used with 

 perfect safety in small doses for medicinal purposes. The nitro-glycerine mixture 

 (Pr. 100) is made by adding a tea-spoonful of a 1 per cent, solution of nitro- 

 glycerine in spirit to eight ounces an ordinary medicine bottleful of water. Of 

 this a tea-spoonful should be taken every four hours, with an extra dose immediately 

 an attack is felt coming on. The dose may be gradually increased to a table-spoon- 

 ful or more if necessary. It may produce a little headache, but this is very 

 transitory, and rarely causes any inconvenience. The sufferer should carry a little 

 bottle of the mixture about with him, so as to have it at hand in case of need. Nitro- 

 glycerine may also be obtained in lozenges or tablets, each containing a hundredth 

 of a grain, corresponding to a tea-spoonful of the mixture. One or more should 

 be munched up in the mouth, so as to get the full action of the drug as quickly as 

 possible. These preparations of nitro-glycerine may be kept with perfect safety. 



But should an attack come on suddenly when there is no nitrite of amyl at 

 hand, what are we to do 1 Probably the best thing is to give a tea-spoonful of sal 

 volatile, or half a tea-spoonful of chloric ether, in a wine-glassful of water, or the two 

 combined, with perhaps the addition of a little bicarbonate of potash or soda. In 



