74 
PARALYSIS. 
tinued to work, up to the present time, perfectly sound and 
well, even the ear having regained its natural elevation and 
appearance. 
These cases — and I could add to the list if it were ne- 
cessary — will be sufficient to illustrate the fact that in 
strychnia we have a most valuable medicine, when it is de- 
sired to excite nervous sensibility, and stimulate and restore 
muscular action ; and, what is more, that it may be given 
with perfect safety, as it is easily and entirely within our 
control. In one of the above cases, it will be seen that I 
began with three-grain doses, and gradually increased them 
to eight ; in the other, a less powerful animal, the dose 
ranged from two grains to six, and no bad symptoms were at 
my time observed to result from these quantities. Mr. 
Finlay Dun, in his book on Veterinary Medicines, relates 
some particulars of a case which had fallen under his 
observation, illustrative of the action of this medicine. 
“Four grains made into a bolus were administered” we are 
told, “ morning and evening. Gradual improvement ensued. 
The doses were slowly augmented until they amounted to 
ten grains, which were given daily in two separate doses P Does 
this mean that ten-grain doses were given twice a-day, or 
that ten grains were given daily in two separate doses ? I 
fancy Mr. Dun wishes it to be understood that the ten grains 
were given twice in the day ; and yet we are told, a little 
further on, that “ the strychnia was withheld for four days, 
and the patient became decidedly worse, and walked very 
unsteadily. The medicine was again prescribed, but, from 
an unfortunate mistake , was given in doses of five grains repeated 
twice a-day. After three such doses had been administered, 
violent spasms supervened, affecting especially the head and 
neck, &c” Eventually the medicine was resumed in doses 
of “ two and a half grains twice a-day,” and some success 
appears to have been obtained. The obscurity of Mr. Dun’s 
style, however, must leave those who seek information on the 
subject of the proper doses of this drug in sad perplexity. 
Really a man who writes specially for the instruction of 
others, and sets out w r ith such a vast assumption of supe- 
riority, ought to pay a little more attention to the subject of 
a clear and intelligible style of expression. 
