ACONITE versus HYDROCYANIC ACID. 
651 
marked effect spoken to by Mr. Hill in the last-named malady, 
when, as he says, he has repeatedly seen 10 minims reduce 
the pulse from 100 to 70, “ in less than five minutes.” 
“ This surely is something more than frothy saliva,” says he ; 
undoubtedly it is, say I ; and I would add, why not in a little 
time give another 10 minims ? If followed with the same 
result, the case would stand recorded thus : 
Attended case of enteritis in a valuable horse ; found 
animal standing, but shivering and gasping ; bathed in per- 
spiration ; ears, extremities, &c., cold ; breathing laboured, 
pulse 100, and very indistinct. 1 a.m. Gave Fleming’s 
tinct. aconite nix in cold water. 1.4 a.m. Marked effect on 
breathing and general state of the patient ; pulse 70. Re- 
peat the medicine as before. 1.10 a.m. Continued improve- 
ment, pulse now 40, and all anxiety as to the ultimate re- 
covery of the patient over. 
I at once confess I have had no such experience, for when 
I am unfortunate enough to meet with such a disease, 
aconite, prussic acid, morphia, subcutaneous injection, 
counter-irritants, hot fomentations, enemas, &c., have too 
frequently failed, and the result has been death. 
The reason that I made mention of Mr. J. W. Hill’s name 
in my last communication arose from my reading his very 
interesting and well-conducted case. It was that which 
suggested the probable usefulness of my troubling you by my 
views respecting tetanus, as founded on personal observation. 
I have not the slightest doubt but that any case which may 
be entrusted to Mr. Hill will meet with his best attention, 
and that nothing serious will happen by his being unduly 
wedded to any single remedy after it ceases to answer his 
purpose, whatever the name of that agent may be. 
I may now be allowed to say a word or two in reference to 
the communication of Mr. A. E. Macgillivray on the same 
subject, in which both myself and my paper are pretty freely 
handled, and I am sorry that, as I look at it, in not the best 
spirit possible. 
Mr. Macgillivray commences by expressing surprise at the 
success of my treatment of tetanus, and remarks that this 
surprise is not confined to him, but must strike many of his 
professional brethren, seeing that <c he has always found and 
always seen its treatment to be extremely difficult and most 
unsatisfactory,” and that during his college and student prac- 
tice, added to by six years in his present situation, he “ has 
only managed to bring through three cases.” 
Mr. Macgillivray does not inform us what system of treat- 
ment he adopted and had seen used by others before he was 
