3G4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO COiMPAllATIVE PATHOLOGY. 
ing. I, however, gave her two grains of the morphia at night, 
and determined to keep the constitution as long as I could under 
its influence; but I feared that I should not have power to do 
that long, for she began to suspect the cheat, and very carefully 
examined every bit of the root before she would take it. 
\^th .—The spasm has now appeared at the same hour in the 
morning. At a little after seven she was comparatively quiet, 
but at eight she was heaving distressingly; yet she was not quite 
so much distressed as she used to be in the evening. What am 
1 now to do with her ? she must have the morphia morning and 
night, the calomel being now omitted. About eleven o^clock she 
became a little easier, and after a great deal of persuasion she 
took her medicine. At night the spasm resumed its old time of 
appearance, but with an aggravated degree of severity. She 
was becoming rapidly emaciated—her strength was failing her, 
and she took very little food even of the kind of which she used 
to be most fond. Again and again, and most anxiously, I con¬ 
sidered the propriety of opening the trachea ; for I had fixed on 
the larynx as the seat of periodical spasmodic stricture. Now 
and then the idea of spasmodic asthma occurred : but there was 
not the peculiar wheezing-*^f that disease; and, after the most 
careful examination, I felt convinced that the distress attended 
the act of expiration, and not of inspiration. I knew that the 
attempt to perform the operation of tracheotomy would be 
attended with extreme danger to all who assisted in holding her ; 
and I did not like the thought of her dying under my hands. 
I consulted a very kind friend, a medical man, and one of the 
council; and he urged me by no means to hazard severe or perma¬ 
nent injury to myself and all who assisted in hobbling her. I there¬ 
fore determined to continue the present course of treatment as 
long as I could, going back, however, to the emetic tartar, and 
doubling the quantity of the morphia. 
20th, 2\st, 22d .—The fit returns every night almost to a 
minute. On the 20th and 21st she took two drachms of the 
emetic tartar and eight grains of the morphia; but we can cheat 
her no longer, although we attempt it hour after hour. We get 
some nice fresh tares, and, opening the stalks, conceal a quarter 
of a grain in each. She took the whole of the morphia yester¬ 
day and this morning ; but, at length, she found out that trick¬ 
ery. She will eat the very summit of the tares, but as soon as 
she gets near to the drug, she casts it from her with an expres¬ 
sion of abhorrence. She must die, for she is daily losing flesh 
and strength. 
2Sd to 31sL —There is little variation except her certain al¬ 
though gradual decline of strength. The fits are shorter—con- 
