EXTRACTS FROM A LECTURE ON STRYCHNINE. 
723 
dog over the normal amount present in the tissue of an animal quickly 
killed by strychnine, must, I presume, have been obtained and retained 
from the horse-flesh on which the dog had been previously fed. This point, 
coupled with the presence of strychnine in the smaller intestines, leads me 
to believe that had I examined the terrier dog after he had fed on the 
horse, and without using strychnine as the killing dose, I would have 
found indications of that alkaloid in every part of the system. This experi- 
ment is to me conclusive as to the accumulation of strychnine in the animal 
system, and suggests the important deduction that minimum doses, whilst 
they may not kill quickly, are the most certain way in which strychnine 
can be administered, so that it may be afterwards discovered by the 
chemist. 
I am far from considering that the foregoing experiments exhaust the 
subject of poisoning by strychnine. I commenced the investigation with 
the earnest desire to make myself conversant with a method by which I 
could afterwards depend upon, were I called upon to search for strychnine in 
animal matter. I have all along said as little as possible regarding the 
physiological effects of the poison, and the condition of the animal system 
after death, as these are points which I cannot pretend to discuss. I think 
it right, however, to state, that (1) the animal was always flaccid immedi- 
ately after death ; (2) after tetanus set in, there were periods of repose, 
during which the animal could be touched gently, and no spasms were oc- 
casioned thereby ; (3) the condition of the heart at death was various — at 
times the right side was empty, and at other times both sides of the heart 
were gorged with blood ; and (4) different periods of time marked the com- 
mencement and duration of the symptoms. 
In summing up these remarks on strychnine poisoning, I deduce from the 
results of the experiments, the following conclusions : 
1. That when administered to the animal, strychnine is absorbed and re- 
tained in its system. 
2. That strychnine is not sensibly destroyed in the animal system during 
life, nor by the partial decomposition of the animal tissue consequent on 
death. 
3. That minimum doses of strychnine may cause the animal to exhibit, 
but partially or not at all, the physiological effects, but such doses are the 
most favorable for the chemist; so that as the physiological evidence de- 
creases, or sinks to a minimum, the chemical proof increases or rises to a 
maximum. 
4. That tartar emetic, muriate of morphine, extract of hemlock, and 
coniine may retard or relieve the spasms, but they do not in the slightest 
degree hinder the chemical isolation and detection of strychnine. 
5. That by proper treatment, strychnine can be separated from organized 
tissue and organic matter in general, as easily as any other poison — 
arsenic not excepted — and much more easily than most other poisonous 
substances. 
6. That, when isolated, strychnine can be distinguished by a special 
test, which is unerring and most delicate, and which will detect the merest 
trace. 
7. That the decomposition or natural decay of the animal frame may cause 
the destruction of the strychnine, but in this, time will no more easily blot 
out all traces of strychnine, than it will obliterate the mark of the knife of 
the assassin. 
In conclusion, I have two suggestions to make. The first is to our law 
authorities, and I would ask them in future not to hand the chemist merely 
fractional pieces of a subject supposed to be poisoned, but to give him over 
the entire body for chemical analysis ; and, for my own part, when called 
