[ 66 5 ] 
Imagining the deleterious draught had not had fuf- 
ficient time to bring on any violent inflammation or 
excoriation, or to make its way into the blood, vo- 
miting and purging, with plenty of diluents and 
fheathing fubftances, feemed the likelieft means to 
fave the patient, if any thing could be hoped to fuc- 
ceed in fo perilous a fituation. I therefore ordered a 
mild but operative emetic of Pulv. Rad. lpecacuan. 
and a mixture with Sperm. Ceti and oil to be taken 
occafionally ; dill following up the patient with oil 
and water. I had reafon to expeCt the emetic would 
alfo purge as well as vomit, and not only clear the 
flomach of the remains of the poifonous draught, but 
likewife carry downwards what portion of it might 
have parted through the pylorus by the contraction 
and agitation of the ventricle on the preceding vomit- 
ing. The apothecary demurred at the emetic, and 
foon carries them out of the body. But the cafe is otherwife with 
gummy refinous poifons, fuch as euphorbium. Thefe being indif- 
l'oluble in water, are not fo apt to enter the abforbent veflels, and pafs 
into the blood, but, by their acrimony, fhut up the orifices of thofe 
canals, and preclude a paflage. Therefore oil here fhould be called 
in to the afliftance of water. For the cauftic refinous fubftance of 
euphorbium being precipitated or feparated from the fpirit, and 
formed into clots by the water, would ftill be apt to ftick to the 
tender nervous membranes of the ftomach and bowels, and by its 
intolerable acrimony caufe violent vellications, inflammations, and 
gangrene. But the oil contributes greatly to prevent thefe fatal ef- 
fects, by fheathing the corrofive acrimony of the poifon, prevent- 
ing its adhefion to the delicate lining membranes -of thefe firft paf- 
f'ages, and defending them from the violence of its attacks ; while 
at the fame time it promotes the difcharge of their contents. 
Thefe qualities of oil alfo render it very ferviceable in other 
fpecies of poifon. 
objedcd 
