1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



47 



Therefore the boarder at the hotel would not 

 eat them ; the hotel proprietor refused to pur- 

 chase them ; the butcher could find no sale for 

 them ; the farmer would not raise them, and 

 the country at large cried them down, until 

 the old Shanghai fowl was in oblivion. 



Now, at the present time, we notice the 

 same spirit manifest in the breeding of Light 

 Brahmas. Agricultural fairs and poultry 

 shows are favoring size much to the detriment 

 of other points more requisite to a profitable 

 fowl ; and our fanciers are endeavoring to in- 

 crease the size by selecting, as breeders, large, 

 coarse, long-legged birds. If this course is 

 continued, we shall soon have in form and 

 worthlessness a second tribe of Shanghai fowls. 



For profit in market fowls and as egg pro- 

 ducers, give me the compact, short-legged 

 Brahma that will mature to laying at four and 

 five months old, and the young fowls, when 

 dressed, are not all legs and bones. I have 

 bred the Light Brahmas in purity for the past 

 twenty years, from 2U0 to 400 annually. My 

 young cocks hatched in March, when ten 

 weeks old, sell readily, at that early season, in 

 Boston market at $1 each; and my pullets, 

 when high fed, lay at four and five months old. 

 Of all breeds yet introduced the Light Brah- 

 mas stand No. 1. John S. l\rES. 



Salem, Mass., Oct. 3, 1870. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 MEDICAL TOPICS. 



BY A MEDICAL MAN, 



POISONS; 



TIUEIR SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT. 



Poisons are substances of an animal, vege- 

 table, or mineral mature, which, when admin- 

 istered in small quantity, are capable of pro- 

 ducing deleterious effects on the animal econ- 

 omy. Such substances are arranged, according 

 to their effects, into three classes, viz : — 



1. Iruitant Poisons, or those which pro- 

 duce irritation and intiammation. 



2. Narcotic Poisons, or those which pro- 

 duce stupor, delirium, and other affections of 

 the nervous system. 



3. Irritating Narcotic Poisons, or those 

 which produce both irritation and stupor. 



Writers on Toxicology, or the science which 

 treats especially of poisons, describe each 

 article, its effect, its antidote, &c , under the 

 name of the particular class to which it be- 

 longs ; but, for the better convenience of the 

 reader, we will mention them in alphabetical 

 order. 



Acetic Acid. — This is an irritant poi- 

 son, derived from the vegetable kingdom ; it 

 is the basis of good vinegar. 



Symptoms. — Great heat and burning pain 

 in the stomach, convulsions, and death. 



Treatment. — Give magnesia, soda, or sal- 

 eratus mixed or dissolved in water. Copious 

 draughts of warm flaxseed tea, or of warm 

 water may be given afterward. 



Aconite. — The Aconitum napellus or 

 Monkshood is a narcotic poison when an over- 

 dose is taken. 



Symptoms. — Stupor, numbness, desire to 

 vomit, delirium, convulsions of different parts 

 of the body, palsy of the limbs, variable pulse, 

 quick respiration, general convulsions, and 

 death. 



Treatment. — The stomach must be effectiv- 

 ally evacuated by means of a stomach pump, 

 or by emetics 'of ground mustard-seed, or of 

 white vitriol (sitlpnate of zinc.) After this 

 has been effected, copious draughts of warm 

 llax-seed or slippery-elm tea may be given, 

 followed by strong coffee, once in twenty or 

 thirty minutes, to which a few drops of aqua 

 ammonia may be added. 



Alcohol — This article is the product of 

 fermentation, and is the intoxicating principle 

 in all fermented and distilled liquors. 



Symptoms. — General excitement, more or 

 less, contusion of intellect, sleepiness, delir- 

 ium, nausea and vomiting, coma, and apo- 

 plexy. . 



Treatment. — See Aconite, Opium, &c. 



Amjionia — Hartshorn. This is a corro- 

 sive mineral poison. 



Symptoms. — Excoriation of the mouth and 

 throat, burning sensation in the throat and 

 stomach, vomiting and purging ; the ejected 

 matters oftentimes being bloody. 



Treatment. — Administer, without delay, vin- 

 egar or some other vegetable acid, or, give 

 repeated doses of some fixed oil, as olive, 

 linseed, or castor oil. 



Antimony. — The only preparation of this 

 mineral by which poisoning is apt to be 

 produced, is Emetic Tartar (tartrate of an- 

 timony.) 



Symptoms. — Violent vomiting, burning heat 

 in the stomach, severe griping pain in the 

 bowels, and purging, hiccough, a small and 

 rapid pulse, fainting, great prostration of 

 stren^^th, coldness of the surface, cramps in 

 the legs and feet, &c. 



Treatment. — If vomiting does not occur 

 speedily, it should be encouraged by tickling 

 the throat with a feather, or with the finger, 

 and by administering copious draughts of 

 warm water. Strong astringent infusions 

 should be given, such as an infusion of oak or 

 hemlock bark, gall nuts, or green tea. 



Wine of Antimony, Hives Syrup, and sev- 

 eral of the Cough Syiups, Cough Drops, &c., 

 so much used by mothers and nurses, contain 

 tartar emetic, and children have been poisoned 

 by them. In such cases, the treatment should 

 be as above prescribed. 



Arsenic — Ratsbane. This is a metallic irri- 

 tant poison. 



Symplorm. — Violent burning pain in the 

 stomach and bowel:*, witli tenderness on pres- 

 sure, retching and vomiting ; dryness and 

 tightness in the throat, thirst, hoarseness and 

 difficulty of speech, diarrhoea, tenesmus, and 

 sometimes excoriation of the anus, urinary 



