445 
HYDROCYANIC ACID IN TETANUS. 
By Mr. HARRY Daws, V.S., London. 
Jan. 1, 1839. — A brown gelding, aged, belonging to Mr. Mat- 
thews, was received into my hospital with sympathetic tetanus. 
Every muscle was rigidly contracted, and his jaws firmly closed. 
The pulsations were 30 in a minute. 
I had determined, on the first fair case that occurred, to try the 
effect of the hydrocyanic acid ; but I first gave an ounce of the 
tincture of croton, mixed with his water, and which he readily 
drank. Some time afterwards I administered half a drachm of the 
hydrocyanic acid (Scheele’s) in a pint of warm water, as an enema. 
No visible effect was produced. 
Half an hour having elapsed, I injected a drachm of the acid 
in the same quantity of water. In ten minutes his respiration 
became quickened and sonorous, and the pulse rose to 90 beats 
in a minute. There was a tremor of every limb, slight perspira- 
tion, and relaxation of the muscular fibres to so great an extent, 
that the poor animal ate a linseed mash with avidity. In the 
course of half an hour, however, he relapsed into his former state. 
2c?. — In the morning and at night I repeated the acid, and in 
the same dose. The results were precisely the same. There was 
total relaxation of the spasm for half an hour, but the rigidity of 
the muscles gradually returned. 
3c?. — The bowels were relaxed, probably from the influence of 
the croton. I now doubled the dose of the acid, and injected two 
drachms of it, in the same quantity of water, morning and night. 
The relaxation of the muscles was more rapidly and extensively 
produced, but, after awhile, the rigidity returned. 
4 th . — The owner insisted on his destruction, in spite of my en- 
treaties to the contrary. I determined, however, to give the acid 
another trial before our patient received the fatal blow, and I in- 
jected four drachms of the acid. In less than one minute it began 
to operate violently. Every hair stood on end, and the animal 
staggered forward, and fell in the corner of his box. A profuse 
perspiration bedewed his whole frame, — his respiration was too 
quick to be counted — his pulse small, almost imperceptible, and 
scarcely to be counted. He remained a few minutes in this state, 
and then he gradually recovered — got up — voided both dung and 
urine, and drank freely of cold water. In fact, he exhibited all 
the symptoms of returning animation after syncope occasioned by 
depletion. He recovered so far as to neigh two or three times. 
All these promising appearances, however, soon passed away — he 
VOL. xil. 3 N 
