NAPHTHA AS AN ANAESTHETIC. 
74 
siderable distance from the theatre of knowledge on actions of 
this sort, how they may operate, or how we ought to treat them, 
it is with confidence that we apply for information and advice 
to persons whose opinions are likely to be just and impartial, 
in the hope that the counsel they may impart may prevent a 
succession of such disagreeable occurrences. 
I remain, &c. 
Robert Dodd, M.R.C.V.S. 
*** Surely neither right nor reason can justify the imposition 
of a tax upon a horse or a dog resident with a medical man as 
a patient, unless it could be proved that any sort of use were 
made of either ; and then, according to “ law,” it might, 
we believe, be charged as used by the doctor ; but, then, the 
same animal must not be assessed elsewhere. — Ed. Yet. 
NAPHTHA AS AN ANAESTHETIC. 
By Mr. Barker, Student, Edinburgh Veterinary College. 
Amongst the anaesthetics occasionally employed in vete- 
rinary practice is one which, I believe, is not sufficiently well 
known or appreciated; viz., naphtha, medicinal naphtha ; or, as 
it is sometimes termed, “ Tennant’s anaesthetic fluid.” This sub- 
stance has, during the last two years, been frequently used at 
the Edinburgh Veterinary College, and in general with tolerable 
success. The following notes of a case in which I lately saw 
it successfully administered may, perhaps, interest some of 
your readers, and be of sufficient importance to merit a place in 
the next number of your valuable periodical : — 
There was sent to the Edinburgh College, on 9th January, 
1851, a bay horse, about fifteen hands three inches high, of a 
lightish make, and apparently half-bred. He was rendered 
useless from a severe fracture of the os coronse, and had been 
sent in for dissection. The naphtha was administered without 
any of the complicated apparatus used and recommended by 
some practitioners. Some tow saturated with the fluid was 
placed in a small canvass bag, and this secured by one string 
passing over the ears, and another round the face. The quan- 
tity of naphtha used was half a pint : of this, a little more than 
half was poured upon the tow at first, the rest being poured on 
at intervals. 
In about one minute after the bag was securely fixed, the 
saturated tow being inside, the pupil of the eve began to dilate. 
In six minutes it was very much dilated, the eye also rolled 
backwards and forwards, and an unusually large portion of the 
sclerotic coat was visible. There was also present shaking of 
