608 EXTRACTS FROM A LECTURE ON STRYCHNINE. 
ning of June, through the kindness of the Messrs. Hislop, of Prestonpans, a 
two-year old horse was placed at my disposal. The animal was in good con- 
dition, and, saving that he was broken-winded, was in every other respect 
perfectly sound. The strychnine was at first administered in small doses at 
a time, the object being not to kill the animal till there was the likelihood 
of some of the poison being absorbed into the system. 
The following table gives the doses of strychnine given to, and the 
symptoms exhibited by — 
THE HORSE. 
0 minute. 
25 minutes. 
45 „ 
1 hour 
1 „ 2 „ 
1 „ 20 „ 
1 » 45 ,, 
1 „ 50 
2 hours. 
2 „ 1 minute. 
3 grs. of strychnine in meal and water. 
3 grs. „ „ 
6 grs. „ in ball, made up of barley meal. 
First tremor observed. Twitchings of the facial 
muscles. 
Tremors. 
6 grs. of strychnia in ball, made up of grease and 
meal. Twitchings and tremors. 
6 grs. of strychnine in mash, made up of bran, oats, 
and beans, bruised and mixed. 
] 2 grs. of strychnine in mash. 
Quick and alternate motion of the limbs — con- 
vulsive cries — tetanus set in — horse fell on its 
side. 
Death. 
The sudden death of the horse after the tetanic symptoms began to 
manifest themselves, may be attributed to its old complaint, broken- winded- 
ness. The physiological effects of strychnine were therefore not well seen 
in this instance, but the case was interesting otherwise, as will presently 
appear. 
On the evening of the same day I brought to town the stomach and its 
contents ; the bladder and its contents ; one-half of the spleen, liver, 
lungs, heart, and kidneys; with a large quantity of blood and muscle. 
The remainder of the horse was buried where it could be readily exhumed. 
In examining animal matter for strychnine I have found the following 
process eminently serviceable, and I confidently commend it to the notice 
of analysts, as a method which can be depended upon. The animal matter 
when solid is chopped into minute fragments, and treated with a dilute 
solution of oxalic acid. After standing for twenty-four hours, during which 
time the mass is repeatedly agitated, the whole is filtered through muslin. 
The contents of the filter are well washed with water, and the washings 
added to the filtrate. The liquid so obtained is heated to ebullition, when 
albuminous matters separate, and whilst warm is filtered through paper. 
Animal charcoal is added to the filtrate, and after repeated agitation during 
twenty-four hours, the supernatant liquid is decanted off, and the charcoal 
received on a paper filter, where it is well washed with cold water. The 
charcoal, now retaining the strychnine, is allowed to dry spontaneously, 
thereafter placed in a flask, drenched with alcohol, and the whole kept for 
two hours at a temperature barely short of ebullition. The alcoholic ex- 
tract is separated by filtration from the charcoal, and is evaporated down to 
dryness in a porcelain vessel, at a water-bath heat. The residue so obtained 
will generally be found in a fit condition to be at once tested for strychnine ; 
but should such not be the case, a few drops of oxalic acid solution are 
again added, and the process repeated from the action of charcoal down- 
