ACONITINE. 
37 1 
§ 438.J 
aconitine is, however, in all cases the same, the difference being in 
quantitative, not qualitative action ; in the small doses usually adminis¬ 
tered, the physiological action depends wholly upon the toxic bases 
present. 
Cash and Dunstan give the lethal doses for cats per kilo, of body 
weight as follows :— 
Aconitine ........ 0-134 mgrm. 
Diacetylaconitine ...... 4-5 „ 
Benz-aconine . . . . . . . 24-5 „ 
Aconine ........ 160-400 ,, 
It is difficult to say what would be the minimum fatal dose of pure 
aconitine for a man ; the more so, since there is reason for believing that 
human beings are more sensitive to aconitine than dogs or cats ; prob¬ 
ably it would be about to mgrm. per kilo, of body weight; and taking 
the average weight of an adult at 70 kilos., this would mean 7 mgrms. 
or about ^ of a grain ; but such calculations can only be applied to 
the pure crystalline substance, the lethality of commercial tinctures and 
pharmaceutical preparations generally is best settled by recorded cases. 
In 1863 a woman took 70 minims of Fleming’s tincture and a grain 
of acetate of morphine, and died in about four hours ; but as this was 
a complex case of poisoning, it is not of much value. Fifteen minims 
of the tincture caused very serious symptoms in the case of a woman 
under the care of Dr Topham, 1 the effects lasting many hours. 
Probably the smallest quantity of the tincture recorded as having 
destroyed life is in the case of Dr Male, of Birmingham. 2 He died 
from the effects of 80 drops taken in ten doses, extending over a period 
of four days—the largest dose at any one time being 10 drops ; the 
total quantity would perhaps equal -08 grain of aconitine. 
With regard to the root itself, 3*8 grms. (60 grains) have been known 
to produce death. 
§ 438. Effects of Aconitine on Animal Life. 3 — There are few sub¬ 
stances which have been experimented upon in such a variety of ways 
and upon so many classes of animals as aconitine in different forms, 
but there does not seem to be any essential difference in the symptoms 
produced in different animals, save that which is explained by the 
organisation of the life-form under experiment. 
1 Lancet , July 19, 1851, p. 56. 
2 Med. Gaz., xxxvi. 861, quoted by Taylor, Prin. of Med. Juris., i. 426. 
3 Giulini, P., Experimented Untersuchungen ueber die Wirkung des Aconitins 
auf das Nervensystem, das Herz, u. die Athmung, 8vo, Erlangen, 1876. 
Harley, Dr Johx, “ On the Action and Uses of Aconitia,” St Thos. Hosp. 
Reports, 1874. 
V. Schroff, C., Jr., Beitrag zur Kenntniss des Aconit., 8vo, Wien, 1876. 
Plugge, P. C., “ Untersuchungen ueber die physiologische Wirkung verschie- 
dener Handelssorten von Aconitin u. Pseudoaconitin auf Muskeln u. Nerven,” Virch. 
Archiv, Bd. lxxxvii., 1882, S. 410. 
