ACTION OF STRYCHNIA ON THE HORSE. 155 
were given him in warm water. As he was rather wild, perhaps, §ss of the 
medicine was lost. The animal was then covered with warm rugs; but I 
could not ascertain his pulse, because he was so restless. At ten, the skin 
felt warm ; but still his pulse I could not feel. At twelve, I put my hand 
under the rug, when I felt the body quite damp : the pulse, too, was then 
distinctly counted, beating fifty times in the minute. At one o’clock, he 
was much the same. At three o’clock, skin not so warm ; pulse, 50. He 
afterwards got cooler, and the pulse lower, until seven o’clock, when it 
settled at 32. 
It may be observed, that his appetite did not seem to be in the least 
affected by the medicine, for every time I saw him he was eating his hay. 
Now, can we call naphtha a stimulant and diaphoretic ? 
Be this as it may, I believe that it is a very good substitute for spirit of 
wine, especially for external applications, and especially in cooling lotions, 
&c., because it generates more cold by evaporating than agents of that 
class usually do. 
I am, sir. 
Yours very sincerely, 
Gruff ydd J. Evans. 
ACTION OE STRYCHNIA ON THE HORSE. 
To a horse set apart for experimental purposes, and la- 
bouring under no visible affection, but aged, strychnia was 
given in gradually increased doses, until 5 grs. were adminis- 
tered daily. No apparent effects following its exhibition, four 
hours after the same quantity was repeated, yet w r as no action 
manifested. On the next day the agent was again administered 
in the same doses, and some hours subsequently not the least 
alteration in the pulse had taken place, nor did the animal 
show any unfavorable symptom whatever. With avidity he 
watched for food, which he has been kept from during the 
day, being only allowed a little water. He was accordingly 
allowed his usual quantity of hay and water, and bedded up 
for the night. At 10 p.m., six hours after the last dose, he 
was found lying down, and in great pain, striking his belly 
with his hind legs, breathing laboriously, the circulation in- 
creased from 42 to 6 0 beats in the minute ; tetanic spasms 
were present, and the animal started when touched, however 
gently. Bloodletting was resorted to, an enema thrown up, 
and the animal becoming more tranquil, other remedial means 
were abstained from. On the morning of the next day he 
was still lying down, and in great pain, and the pulse more 
accelerated. Blood w T as again abstracted from the jugular, 
and the clysters repeated. One hour after, the pulse had 
risen to 96, and it ultimately rose to 120. Hot fomentations 
