POISONING OF A DOG WITH NUX VOMICA. 147 
when, on returning, to my astonishment, I found he had 
leaped out of the stall and over a gate ; he then ran down 
a large meadow, and jumped into a deep pond; three men 
went in after him, but before they could render him timely 
assistance, he was floundering in the water, and I suppose a 
sufficient quantity of it got into the lungs so as to cause 
death. I mention this case as being a somewhat remarkable 
one in its termination. Should you think the excited state 
of brain arose from the disease or the operation ? This is a 
common disease with young stock in this neighbourhood, but 
I never saw one before inclined to move about after being 
attacked with it. I call this a decided case of suicide! 
ACCIDENTAL POISONING OF A DOG WITH 
NUX VOMICA. 
By G. Lewis, V.S., Monmouth. 
On the 13th of January last, there was forwarded to me, for 
post-mortem examination, a sheep-dog which had died that 
day under the following circumstances. At 1 1 o’clock a.m. the 
animal was seen apparently well, but within half an hour 
afterwards he was perceived to be ill, and died in about two 
hours. When first observed to be ill, it was (i convulsed,” 
“ panting for breath,” and cf dragging its hind legs.” This 
continued at intervals for an hour, when he appeared to be 
“ a little better ;” but again the paroxysms became greatly 
aggravated, and he died in great agony. 
I saw him in about two hours after death. The body was 
still warm. The hind extremities were quite inflexible. I 
tried, but could not by any force I could apply, bend the 
hocks. The intercostal muscles were literally as hard as “ a 
board.” The eyes were wide open, and the pupils dilated, 
the eye itself having a glassy appearance. The fore ex- 
tremities, I would observe, were not so stiff as the hind 
ones. 
The examination disclosed the following : — The stomach 
contained portions of a rabbit, which had evidently been 
eaten very hastily. A brown powder was mixed with the 
ingesta, and spread upon the inner coat of the stomach, which 
presented traces of intense irritation and inflammation, as 
did also that of the duodenum. The blood in the larger 
vessels was more fluid than usual. Both the ventricles and 
