384 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



ness, and in ten minutes induced a severe convulsion, lasting 

 for three minutes, in which the animal was so rigid that he 

 could be lifted bodily without bending. The ears were 

 drawn back, the limbs were extended and stiff, the tail was 

 straight and rigid, and there was twitching of the muscles 

 of the jaw and limbs. The corners of the mouth were drawn 

 back (risus sardonicus), the mouth was covered with foam, 

 and there was some trismus. The breathing was nearly- 

 suppressed, owing to tetanic spasm of the respiratory 

 muscles. Following this convulsion, the jaw dropped, the 

 muscles relaxed and another attack could not be produced 

 by noises or external irritation. Some twitching of the 

 temporal muscles persisted. Evidently the second stage of 

 poisoning had ensued, and the motor nerves and cells of the 

 inferior cornua had become paralyzed. Death occurred in 

 general paralysis within half an hour, and without any 

 recurrence of convulsions or tetanic condition. Death takes 

 place more commonly in strychnine poisoning from asphyxia, 

 during a convulsion, and is caused by spasm of the respira- 

 tory muscles, or, more rarely, by spasm of the glottis. 

 Sometimes a fatal result ensues from exhaustion, between 

 the paroxysm, and occasionally death appears to follow the 

 intense action on the nervous system, and depression of the 

 heart. 



The lethal dose for dogs has been set at gr.|^-gr.J 

 (Kaufmann). This is much too large, as evidenced by the 

 experiment mentioned above. The fatal amount varies 

 greatly in accordance with the weight of an animal; probably 

 less than gr.^ would kill toy terriers, and cases are reported 

 where they have been destroyed by gr.^ of the alkaloid. 

 The therapeutic dose should therefore be proportioned as 

 advised, to the weight of the animal. Five to eight grains 

 of nux vomica will kill dogs. 



The minimum fatal dose of strychnine for man is one- 

 half a grain. Usually four to seven grains constitute a 

 lethal quantity, but recovery has ensued following the inges- 

 tion of 22 grains, after a full meal. 



