THE POISON OF THE HONEY-BEE. 67 



hours or days, according as tlie disease is more or 

 less violent, and assistance was sought more or less 

 early, in the perfect recovery of the patient. 



This end is not always attained with equal cer- 

 tainty and rapidity, if Apis is not given in alterna- 

 tion with Aconite. In such a case, Apis alone often 

 developes a powerful reaction, which is avoided by 

 the alternate use of Aconite. "Wherever the case is 

 urgent, and it is important to shorten the durations 

 of the organic reaction, the two remedies should be 

 given in alternation. In most cases I have seen a 

 few alternate doses give rise to a pleasant perspira- 

 tion, speedily followed by quiet sleep and recovery 

 on waking. May we not expect the same result at 

 the commencement of Asiatic cholera, and thus 

 arrest the further development of the disease ? 



Apis is no less effectual against chronic diarrhea, 

 more particularly if resulting, not from any deep- 

 seated disorganizations, but from some permanent 

 inflammatory irritation of the intestinal mucous 

 membrane, and which causes and fosters so much 

 distress, by rendering all normal digestion impossi- 

 ble and finally bringing on its inseparable com- 

 panion, the last degree of hypochondria. This 

 misery is so much more lamentable, as it is, so to 

 say, forced upon mankind from the cradle to the 

 grave by the still prevailing and almost ineradicable 

 delusion of cathartic medication. 



Scarcely has the little being seen the light of the 

 world, when the process of purgation begins. Nurse, 

 aunt, grandmamma, everybody, hasten to hush the 

 cries which the rough contact of the outer world 



