A CASE OF POISONING BY NITRE. 
8() 
On this principle I treated the case. I bled her until the circu¬ 
latory system was affected, although I confess I did it with some 
fear, considering the previous state of the pulse. After this, the 
following ingredients were made into a ball and administered :— 
Nitre three drachms, Barbadoes aloes and emetic tartar, of each 
a drachm, and half a drachm of powdered digitalis. 
27/A, A.M. —Symptoms much the same. Medicine as before. 
Laxative enemata were very frequently thrown up, and I ordered 
that meal gruel should be constantly within her reach, of which 
she repeatedly sipped a little. 
p.M. —Very little alteration, only she has lain a considerable 
time to-day, and in a natural position, and the breath has lost 
its offensive smell. Medicine the same, and enemata continued. 
A.M. —Upon the whole, apparently a little better ; the 
swelling of the tongue greatly abated, and the discharge of 
saliva much less profuse. The membrane of the nose also was 
assuming its natural appearance, but the discharge from it was 
a little increased. She lies down naturally, and rises without 
difficulty. The same course of treatment pursued. 
p.M. —The swelling of the tongue has entirely subsided, and 
the unnatural discharge of saliva is stayed ; the intermittent 
pulse is established ; and the dung is pultaceous. She has eaten 
a little hay to-day, and taken a small bran mash, and also con¬ 
tinues to drink a little of the gruel. No medicine. 
29//«.—Apparently slowly recovering: dung still pultaceous. 
No medicine. 
30^^, A.M. —Strangely altered. The extremities, which had 
hitherto been of their natural warmth, or rather more than that, 
were now cold; the pulse quick, small, and annihilated by the 
slightest pressure ; the membrane of the nose singularly livid ; the 
breathing very laborious. She lies a good deal stretched out, but 
can raise herself at her pleasure. An idea of fever of a typhoid 
character now struck my mind, and I recurred to the treatment 
of that stage of influenza in which there was evident collapse, 
and of which I had had a great many cases, only one of which 
was lost. The following ingredients were made into a ball and 
given :—Two drachms each of gum myrrh, gentian and nitre, 
and one drachm of emetic tartar. I had her legs well hand- 
rubbed, and flannel bandages put on. 
p.M. —No better. The above dose repeated. 
31sL—About 6 A.M. she died. 
Fost-mortem Appearances. — The lungs were slightly congested. 
The stomach, when laid open, emptied of its contents which were 
in a fluid state, and slightly washed, presented a high degree of 
inflammation throughout the whole of the villous coat. There 
