or THE BRITISH PHARMACOPCEIA, 1864 AND 1867. 
711 
retained in almost every one of them. I myself have seen it prescribed almost 
daily, in doses varying from 1 to 5 grains, for the last twenty years. Never¬ 
theless, it is to be observed that the efficacy of the extract has been questioned, 
and several times disproved, from the days of Storck down to our own times. 
The following is the formula for the extract, to the agency of which Storck 
attributed his wonderful cures :— 
“ p. llerbffi recentis cicutse, quantum sufficiat. Exprimatur succus, isque re- 
cens lentissimo igne in vase terreo (saepius agitando, ne amburatur) coquatur ad 
' spissi extracti consistentiam, hoc extractum s. q. pulveris foliorum cicutae in 
massam pilularem subigatur; ex qua fiant pilulae granorum duorum.”* 
In some cases a few grains, taken daily for two or three weeks, were suffi¬ 
cient to remove, as it appeared, an old-standing disease, while in others the pa¬ 
tient swallowed 5 ii of the extract daily for four or five mouths without inconve¬ 
nience. “ The extract of hemlock,” says Storck, “ is a remedy absolutely inno¬ 
cent ; it does not hurt the sight, but the contrary.” 
The following criticism, by an eminent contemporary of Storck, appears to 
me very just, and worthy of mention in this place :— 
“ Quin et incomprehensibile, ac plane paradoxon videtur, id statuisse. Prm- 
terquam enim quod nec in meis, nec in Breslaviensium pluribus, ea vis cicutEe 
confirmata fuerit, si consulam auctorem, qua namque dosi, a cicutm extracto, 
hauc vim edi putet, video a granis 2 de die observasse eandetn et sic porro a 
grains 4, ab 8, a 12, a 20, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, idque baud rariore admodum 
casu sed frequenti. 
“Si granum opii consuevithominiblandum conciliare, eruntaliiquiindigeant 
dupla dosi, rariores qui triplo, quadruploque, rarissimi qui quintuplo, qui sex- 
tuplo uno die indigeant. Cicutse autem dosis cur adeo immense augenda fit, ex 
comparatione cum ceteris paregoricis baud facile capitur.”f 
Storck’s observations on the use of hemlock excited so much attention that 
his experiments were repeated in almost every country of Europe, and many of 
the leading practitioners of those times gave his far-famed extract ample trials. 
It needed but a short time to convince all observers that Storck bad greatly over¬ 
estimated its virtues. Not a few, however, were satisfied that it was a remedy 
of considerable value. Storck, Collin (a), Quarin (6), F. Hoffmann (c), Ilill(J), 
Ilouppe(e), Gataker(/), Andree(^), W. Butter (A), Akeuside(7i), Spalowski (i), 
Burrows(j), have all advocated its use, and given us the result of their obser¬ 
vations ; but if we carefully examine their writings, we shall fail to recognise 
any mention of the least trace of those effects which distinguish the action of 
hemlock. I believe, therefore, that we are full}''justified in concluding that the 
extract, whether prepared in Vienna, Amsterdam, Geneva, Naples, or in 
London, was practically, if not absolutely destitute of the active principle of 
the plant. Indeed, the impotency of the drug was occasionally recognized by 
some of these observers themselves, who attributed it to various causes,—the 
wrong plant had been used; the locality in which it had been grown, or the 
situation in which it had been exposed, was unsuitable for the elaboration of its 
juices; the herb had been gathered a month too soon or too late ; the whole of 
* ‘Essay on the Medicinal Use of Hemlock,’ by A. Storck, 1761, p. 14. 
t ‘Epistola de Cicuta,’ Antonins de Haen, 1766, pp. 20, 21. 
(a) Obseiv. circa Movbos Acutos, etc., 1765. (5) ‘ Tentamina de Cicuta,’ 1761. 
(c) Observ. on the Internal and External Use of Hemlock, 1764. 
\d) Sir J. Hill, ‘ Directions for those Afflicted with Cancers, with account of the Vienna 
Hemlock,’ 1771. 
(e) De Morbis Navigantium; acced. de effectu extracti Cicutae, etc., 1764. 
(/) ‘Essays on Medical Subjects,’ 1764. (g) Obs. on Storck’s Treatise, 1761. 
(A) ‘ Treatise on Kinkcongh, with an Appendix on Hemlock,’ 1773. (i) ' De Cicuta,’ 1777. 
(J) Prac. Essay on Cancers, with method of Administering Hemlock, 1767. 
