ACONITINE. 
377 
§ 44 1 -] 
were, with a loud shout the contents of his stomach, dependent appar¬ 
ently on the sudden contraction of the diaphragm.” On attempting to 
make him swallow any fluid, a fearful spasm of the throat was produced ; 
it reminded his medical attendants of hydrophobia. The patient 
recovered completely within twenty-four hours. 
One of three cases reported by Dr Albert Busscher, 1 - of poisoning 
by aconitine nitrate, possesses all the exact details of an intentional 
experiment, and is of permanent value to toxicological literature. 
A labourer of Beerta, 61 years of age, thin, and of somewhat weak 
constitution, suffered from neuralgia and a slight intermittent fever ; 
Dr Carl Meyer prescribed for his ailment :— 
14 Aconiti Nitrici, 2 grms. 
Tr. Chenopodii Ambrosioid., 100 grms. M.D.S. 
Twenty drops to be taken four times daily. The patient was instructed 
verbally by Dr Meyer to increase the dose until he attained a maximum 
of sixty drops per day. 
The doses which the man actually took, and the time of taking them, 
are conveniently thrown into a tabular form as follows :— 
No. 1. 
March 14, 
7 p.m., 5 drops, equal to aconitine nitrate 
•4 
mgrm 
„ 2. 
99 
9 p.m., 20 
99 99 
99 
1-6 
99 
,, 3. 
March 15, 
8 a.m., 20 
99 99 
99 
1-6 
99 
„ 4. 
99 
11 a.m., 20 
99 99 
99 
1-6 
99 
„ 5. 
99 
4 p.m., 20 
99 99 
99 
1-6 
99 
„ 6. 
99 
9 p.m., 20 
• • 99 
99 
1-6 
99 
„ 7. 
March 16, 10 p.m., 10 
99 99 
99 
•8 
99 
In the whole seven doses, which were distributed over forty-eight hours, 
he took 9-2 mgrms. (-14 grain) of aconitine nitrate. 
On taking dose No. 1, he experienced a feeling of constriction 
(Zusammenziehung) and burning spreading from the mouth to the 
stomach, but this after a little while subsided. Two hours afterwards 
he took No. 2, four times the quantity of No. 1. This produced the 
same immediate .symptoms, but soon he became cold, and felt very ill. 
He had an anxious, oppressive feeling about the chest, with a burning 
feeling about the throat; the whole body was covered with a cold 
sweat, his sight failed, he became giddy, there was excessive muscular 
weakness, he felt as if he had lost power over his limbs, he had great 
difficulty in breathing. During the night he passed no water, nor 
felt a desire to do so. About half an hour after he had taken the 
medicine, he began to vomit violently, which relieved him much ; he 
then fell asleep. 
Dose No. 3, equal as before to 1-6 mgrm., he took in the morning. 
He experienced almost exactly the same symptoms as before, but 
1 “ Intoxicationsfalle durch Aconitin Nitricum Gallicum, nebst Sections Bericht,” 
von Dr Albert Busscher, Berl. klinische Wochenschrift, 1880, No. 24, pp. 338, 356. 
