TRANSLATIONS FROM THE CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 101 
to rise, and died in convulsions. Some of them bellowed 
fearfully, particularly when approached by any one. The 
pulse, in those which were the most affected, could scarcely 
be felt even at the heart, but in all the cases it was never less 
than from 90 to 140 beats in the minute. Two died quickly, 
and six more soon followed 
The autopsy of the eight animals showed the effect of the 
poison in the meteorization of the abdomen ; the protrusion 
of the rectum, which was mortified; the serous effusion into 
the cellular tissue, and the gangrene in more than one part of 
the body, principally about the chest, in the immediate 
neighbourhood where the root was inserted. On opening the 
body, the peritoneum showed violent inflammation and gan¬ 
grene to have existed. The abdominal viscera were in a 
similar state. In the thorax, the pleurae, the lungs,, the 
heart, and partly the diaphragm, were inflamed and gan¬ 
grenous. The blood was dark coloured and viscid. Only in 
one case was there hepatization of the lungs, with slight 
adhesion of the pleurae. All the others were free from 
pneumonia. 
The treatment consisted in the removal of the obnoxious root, 
and bathing the parts freely with cold water. But as the in¬ 
sertion of the root had been from above downwards, the chan¬ 
nels were all filled with serum, which, by absorption, had much 
aggravated the evil, and it became, therefore, necessary to make 
counter-openings, so as to allow a free escape of the serum. 
Afterwards, these were injected with fresh oil of poppies; 
the swelling was also extensively scarified, and dressed with 
the same oil. Subsequently, the compounds of chlorine and 
digestives were resorted to. Internally, nitre was adminis¬ 
tered in a decoction of linseed and oak bark. By these 
means the remaining thirty were saved; but large portions 
of the skin were detached about the chest and abdomen, 
which had subsequently to be removed. This gave them the 
appearance of being skinned alive, and caused great suffering. 
The milk from the affected cow r s being given to pigs, caused 
violent vomiting in them in less than a quarter of an hour. 
The flesh of those which had died being eaten by some dogs, 
caused the same effect on them, and some cats which had 
also eaten freely of it died. 
XXXII* 
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