366 
ON THE MEDICINAL USE OF THE SALTS OF ATROPIA. 
considerably exceeds the normal amount, probably on account of the complete abolition 
of the influence of the pneumogastrics. The action of muscarin is very energetic on the 
abdominal organs; and here again resembles that of the Calabar bean, the intestines, 
bladder, and even the spleen becoming, as it were, tetanically contracted. The intes¬ 
tines first become converted into a hard, white cord, and then, becoming somewhat 
relaxed, exhibit vigorous but irregular peristaltic movements. The effect does not occur 
if, by compression of the aorta, the adit of blood to the intestines is prevented. Here, 
also, atropine presented distinctly its antagonistic action. The sialogogue influence of 
muscarin was always that which was first exhibited, and in all animals alike, whatever 
their sensitiveness to the poison might otherwise be. The effect on the pupil appears 
to be but slow in man, and to produce it a considerable dose is required .—The Lancet. 
WHAT BECOMES OF MEDICAL STUDENTS? 
Under this title, Mr. Paget favours us with a short but most interesting paper in the 
“ St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Reports.” The chief statistical data are thus given. Of 
1000 students whose careers were known, 23 achieved distinguished success ; 66, con¬ 
siderable success; 507, fair success; 124, very limited success; 56 failed entirely; 96 
left the profession; 87 died within twelve years of commencing practice; 41 died during 
pupilage. “In this table, they are classed as having achieved distinguished success who, 
within fifteen years after entering, gained, and to the end of the time maintained, lead¬ 
ing practices in counties or very large towns; or held important public offices; or be¬ 
came medical officers of large hospitals; or teachers in great schools, as the professors 
of anatomy in Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh, all of whom it was my singular good 
fortune to have for pupils.” This last very gratifying circumstance may be employed 
as a set-off against the fact that one of the number was hung—the notorious Palmer. 
It is a^ded respecting Palmer, “ He was an idle, dissipated student, cursed with more 
money than he had either the wisdom or the virtue to use well.” “Those who failed 
entirely were of a very mixed class. Of these, fifteen were never able to pass their ex¬ 
aminations.” “It will seem strange to any one that so many as ninety-six—that is, 
nearly 10 per cent, of the whole number—left the profession.” “ Against these, we 
have only seven who came to us from other professions; and of these, five again left us.” 
Of those who gave up the profession, sixteen left while pupils; two retired ou private 
means; four, after engaging in practice, had to leave in disgrace ; one, speculating in 
mines, lost, committed forgery, and is in prison; three became actors ; four entered the 
army with commissions; three enlisted as privates. Twenty-seven left the profession 
for various other pursuits. Three became homoeopaths; but, says Mr. Paget, “took to 
that class no repute for wisdom or working power.” The fact that data exist for the 
compilation of such a report as this is a most creditable indication of the supervision 
given by St. Bartholomew’s teachers to their students. We should be glad to quote even 
more than we have done; but it would be unfair to the original article. —British 
Medical Journal. 
ON THE MEDICINAL USE OF THE SALTS OF ATROPIA. 
Professor Buignet, the eminent French pharmaceutist, has recently directed attention to 
the various uses of atropine, or atropia, as a general remedy, and not merely in affections of 
the eye. Two salts of this alkaloid are used in medicine, namely, the sulphate and the va¬ 
lerianate of atropia. The former is to be found in our Pharmacopoeia, but is intended 
solely for ophthalmic use, atropia and its salts being regarded by British writers on Materia 
Medica as unfit for internal use in consequence of their highly poisonous action even in very 
minute doses. The valerianate is formed by mixing a cooled solution of atropia in ether 
with a cooled solution of valerianic acid, and from this mixture crystals of the required 
salt soon crystallize. Acting on the long-established axiom in the therapeutics, that a com¬ 
bination of two similar remedies almost always produces a greater and more rapid effect 
than an equivalent dose of either of the single remedies, Dr. Michea, as long ago as 1853, 
made trial of this salt in “ affections of the nervous system,” and especially in cases of epi- 
