PARALYSIS. 
73 
the morning of the 8th, he rose up unassisted, and walked, 
though not without much difficulty, up to his manger. The 
strychnia was continued in gradually increased doses, and 
for a week or two I was not without some hopes of success. 
After this time, however, my patient became slightly worse, 
and on giving up the medicine was soon again unable to 
move at all, so that it became advisable to destroy him, 
which was accordingly done. The great distance from my 
residence (upwards of ten miles) at which this case occurred, 
did not admit of my giving it that degree of attention which 
a nearer and less hopeless one would have obtained, but I 
saw enough of it to convince me of the activity and efficacy 
of strychnia carefully and properly administered The 
largest quantity given in this case was 8 grains twice a- 
day, and no symptoms of poisoning were ever exhibited. I 
looked forward with some interest to another opportunity of 
giving the drug a favorable trial. 
In the early part of June last, a serious case of phrenitis 
occurred in my practice. My patient was a valuable 
waggon-mare, of French breed, having been purchased in 
that country by her present owner, a large railway con- 
tractor, during his engagement on a line of railway in 
Belgium. She was perfectly wild and uncontrollable, at 
times dashing herself about in the most furious manner, 
and without the least apparent consciousness. The most 
active antiphlogistic remedies were adopted, and cold wet 
cloths were kept constantly applied to the head and neck 
for a day or two. After this, the acute symptoms having 
somewhat abated, setons were inserted on each side the 
head, and a blister was also applied to the same region, 
and all appeared to go on satisfactorily. On the 13th, I 
observed that the head was carried painfully on one side, 
the off ear drooped completely pendulous, even on to the 
cheek, and it was with great difficulty the animal could be 
maintained in a position to feed. I immediately determined 
to try the strychnia again. Two grains were given twice a- 
day, and even so soon as the 13th, there appeared some 
amendment. The mare ate better, and could support her 
head in the manger, for a longer time and more steadily • 
but the ear was still pendulous. The doses of strychnia 
were gradually increased up to the 26th, when they reached 
six grains twice a-day, and when my patient had nearly re- 
covered, the only observable symptom of disease being the 
slightly drooping ear. From this period the medicine was 
gradually diminished until about the middle of July, when 
she was well enough to be put to work, and she has con- 
