Effects of the Prussic Acid. 189 



now been used for some weeks, with favorable results so far. 

 It has been used for asthma with complete success in a 

 case of long standing. In the whooping cough, its effects 

 are very favorable, as tried thus far. In some instances it 

 produces sleep — pleasant indeed — but the person would fall 

 asleep when he seemed fully awake — sleep but a short time 

 —but drop asleep again unexpectedly. In a case of almost 

 constant cough, and laborious breathing when there '.vas not a 

 cough, and which had not been affected by any medicine tried 

 for weeks, it effected a cure in two days, attended with reno- 

 vated health. The patient had been sick for three months 

 with fever. In one hectic case fast becoming past cure, 

 the acid had a very good effect, and also in two others, one 

 of which commenced with bleeding at the lungs, almost to 

 death. It remains to be seen how permanent its influence 

 will be. I suppose the acid has usual strength, for in no case 

 have more than two drops been given in twenty-four hours. 



III. From Dr. J. W. Webster. 



Dr. Webster informs the Editor, that he has prescribe^ 

 the Prussic acid in many cases, in the Boston Aims-House, 

 especially in spasmodic asthma, and chronic coughs, with 

 the greatest benefit. As an external application to irritable 

 ulcers, it has also proved exceedingly beneficial. 



JVIay 13, 1820. 



IV. By Dr. I. S. Comstock, Hartford. 



Cases illustrating the effects of the Prussib Acid, as a reme-^ 

 dy in Pulmonary Diseases. 



Case 1st. A. M. aged about thirty, had been afflicted 

 with symptoms of tuberculous phthisis for more tKan two 

 years— had during that time made use of a great variety of 

 medicines, and had taken a journey of several hundred 

 miles on horseback, into a more temperate climate, without 

 any permanent benefit. His cough, the most distressing 

 symptom, was of the tickling kind, not attended with ex- 

 pectoration, but an unremitted irritation of the trachea de- 

 prived him of comfort and of rest. This was not at all 

 rimes sufficient to produce thf> convnl'^ive motion of the 



