THE UNEXPECTED RECOVERY OF A CASE OF SUNSTROKE. 
69 
neighboring houses and tried to get a rubber blanket to put 
over him, but although they had them they would neither lend 
or sell them. I then determined that I would try to take him 
home (about two and one-half miles), and if he fell I would get 
a gun and shoot him. I picked up an old piece of rope, 
attached it to his neck and tried to lead him, but I could 
not get him to budge. I then removed the rope and whipped 
him with it gently. At this he tottered off a step or two. I 
then replaced the rope on the neck, and he started after. His 
action was that of a horse about one hundred years of age. I 
found for the first mile that unless I allowed him to rest at the 
end of about every block he Was completely played out. But 
on the second mile he limbered up and gained strength, and by 
the time we had reached his barn he was walking almost as well 
as ever. Upon getting him under shelter, I made a careful ex¬ 
amination and founcl much to my surprise, and disappointment, 
that he was totally blind in both eyes ; pupils dilated. I could 
not make up my mind what to do for this condition, so did 
nothing, but prescribed drachm doses of nux with two ounces 
of nitrous ether every four hours, for his general condition. 
The next day I found him so much stronger that I decided to 
stop this treatment and try to do something for the eyes. I 
had been informed, previous to this visit, by two M.D’s, that in 
the human subject, if blindness followed sunstroke, and con¬ 
tinued for one hour, that the patient would be permanently 
blind. Regardless of this, however, I decided that it would do 
no harm to try to do something, and I decided upon potassium 
iodide 3 ss. in solution, three times a day. His condition at 
the end of a few days did not improve. About this time I told 
a friend, Dr. E. L. Quitman, about the case ; as he had a call in 
the vicinity, we visited the patient together. Dr. Quitman sug¬ 
gested that I make the dose stronger by the addition of one 
drachm of iodine crystals. I wrote the following prescription : 
R lodidi Cryst. 3 i. 
Pot. lod. 3 ss. 
Give in two ounces of water three times a day. 
