Dr. Oliver on the Prussic Acid, 185 



again, the medicine was exhausted before the cure of the 

 disease. This put me upon reflecting, that if I could pro- 

 cure the Prussic acid, that I then should be able to prescribe 

 the efficient principle of the lauvo-cerasus, and might then 

 command any quantity of it. I therefore applied to the 

 Chemist above mentioned, and was furnished with the de- 

 sideratum. It was prescribed for my relative, and soon 

 manifested its good effects in relieving the cough, promoting 

 appetite, and shortly producing a complete suspension of the 

 malady. In several other patients, it appeared to palliate 

 the symptoms. In some other cases little or no effect was 

 manifested. This failure in the acid, I am now inclined to 

 think, arose from its degeneration and decomposition, either 

 from the agency of the vehicle it was exhibited in, or from 

 the dose not having been accommodated to its deteriora- 

 tion. Although this want of success in many of the cases 

 lessened my confidence in the remedy, yet it did not pre- 

 vent me from prescribing it. I soon after saw two more ca- 

 ses of phthisis which were cured by the acid. They had 

 not reached the purulent stage. 



I have generally found it necessary to increase the dose 

 of the acid, until it manifests its effects on the system by 

 producing a pain of the head or dizziness. There are, 

 however, some constitutions found in which those symptoms 

 do not readily take place from the action of any dose, in 

 which it is prudent to give the acid, but who still derive 

 benefit from its use : and on the other hand, some are found 

 in whom a very small dose excites much disturbance in the 

 system, and who can scarcely bear the medicine in any 

 dose. 



I am not certain that I have ever seen any permanent 

 bad effects from its cautious exhibition. I have known, 

 however, when the dose has been augmented too suddenly, 

 a very great distress to be excited in the stomach, attended 

 with dizziness and faintness, accompanied with a rapid 

 pulse. These symptoms often being followed with retching, 

 on the patient's lying down on the bed soon went off, and 

 left her remarkably well afterwards. 



I have seen two cases of mania, attended with obstruct- 

 ed catamenia, which were cured by the acid ; the disease, 

 however, recurred in one or both patients. I once exhibit- 

 ed the prussic acid to a patient^ who had long laboured tin- 



Vol. in No, I. 24 



