424 
H. C. YARROW. 
tive and one an active acro-narcotic, mixed with pepper and the 
juice of the wild cotton plant. In each pill is three-quarters of a 
grain of arsenic and two of the pills are given at a dose, a single 
one an hour after. We might suppose from the large dose of 
the mineral that in some cases if the venom did not kill, the pill 
certainly would. This preparation has been experimented upon 
by several persons, who report against its use. Per contra. Dr. 
J. P. Ireland in Med. Chir. Tr ., London, 1817, II., 396, treated 
soldiers bitten at Santa Lucia by the fer de lance with arsenic in 
large doses, as follows: 
^ Liq. potass, arsenat., f. dr. ii. 
Tinct. opii., gtt. x. 
Aquse menth. pip-, oz. iss. 
to which was added half an ounce of lime juice; this was repeated 
every half hour for four successive hours—this would be one 
grain of arsenic to each dose. In addition a carthartic clyster 
was given, and the scarified parts rubbed with a liniment contain¬ 
ing oil terebinthina, liquor ammonia and oil olivse. He reports 
four cases cured, and one at Martinique. 
Another modification of the arsenic treatment is recommended 
by Dr. L. Lanszweert, in the Pacif. M. <& S. J , San Francisco, 
1871-2, V., 108. Arseniate of strychnia, 30 grains of pure 
strychnia in 4 ounces of distilled water, containing 75 grains of 
arsenic acid, and evaporating until crystallization takes place, dry¬ 
ing the crystals and reserving the liquid, with the addition of 8 
ounces of alcohol, for external application. For internal use 1 
grain of this arseniate of strychnia is mixed with 10 grains of 
sugar and 25 grains of turmeric, and divided into twelve powders. 
One powder to be given at the time of the bite and every fifteen 
or twenty minutes after until better. Upon recurrence of symp¬ 
toms give every hour. Deports cure, but no details of cases. 
Alcohol in various forms is probably to-day the agent in which 
the great portion of the people of the world have the utmost con¬ 
fidence as an antidote, a faith unfortunately not well founded if 
we may believe the many experiments which have been tried. 
According to Mitchell it is merely a counter-active agent, a stim¬ 
ulus simply, which may buoy the patient over the prostration 
