1885-1 
From the Debateable Land, 
729 
more surprised to find that opium made the patient sleep 
by its mere proximity. . 
These facets were so strange that the observers did not at rust 
feel free to make them known, scarcely believing the evidence 
of their senses. The experiments were repeated in presence 
of various colleagues, who were admitted not merely to 
observe, but to devise the most varied and difficult countei- 
tests • 
After some months of observation and of prudent reserve 
MM. Bourru and Burot met with a second hystero-epileptic 
subjedt, who gave the same reactions as the former. 1 his 
patient was a woman, aged 26, insensible . over the whole 
right side of the body, but excessively sensitive on the let . 
The results with the two subjects were essentially identical. 
The observers requested Dr. Duplouy, Director of the 
Naval Medical College of Rochefort, to be present, at a 
check-experiment. This gentleman, being absolutely incre- 
dulous, demanded the most rigorous conditions. All persons 
who could influence the subje« had to be removed, and an 
absolute silence was maintained. The experiment was made 
in the presence of the director, the professors, ana assistan s 
of the College, and a great number of naval surgeons and 
pharmacists. The scientific authority of this assembly was 
of the greatest importance. The experiments were decisive, 
conclusive. A bottle containing jaborandi, brought by an 
assistant, was placed near the patient by another person 
and immediately occasioned salivation and sweating. - 
experimentalist, having in his pocket two bottles of tie 
same size, both wrapped in paper, and wishing to _put -the 
patient under the influence of canthandes, found him behave 
as if affedted by valerian. The experimentalist was suipiised 
but every one saw, on removing the wrapper, that instead 
of presenting the bottle of canthandes, as he had intended, 
he had presented the other, which in fadt contained valerian. 
All the speSators were satisfied, and Dr Duplouy declared 
openlv that he was convinced in spite of himsell. 
jTTtSi S’SSS' "£;■£? 5 
and the Society of Natural Sciences at La Rochelle. 
Into the methods of experimentation which these physi- 
cians finally adopted we cannot enter ; nor can we give 
details of the adtion of the different drugs tiled. 
Alcohol from different sources occasioned very distindt 
eMs The alcohol of wine in different forms always 
VOL. Vll. (THIRD SERIES). 3 B 
