37 
meninges of the cord there should be a greater difference in the symptoms when used 
as above stated. True, experimenting upon a single case proves nothing, yet it is testi¬ 
mony tending to disprove the correctness of our theory for the treatment of this disease. 
In a case of cerebro-spinal meningitis where there was complete loss of deglutition 
and inability to rise, I gave the animal two grain doses of strychnia repeated every four 
hours until the least noise would cause involuntary contractions of the voluntary 
muscles, at which time the dose was diminished and from that hour I marked a rapid 
and finally complete recovery. Just as soon as the twitchings of the muscles commenc¬ 
ed, the power of swallowing returned, of course very imperfectly at first but with rapid 
improvement, so that in three days time food was quite readily taken and water was 
with some difficulty swallowed. 
In some cases of chronic paraplegia seen in country practice and called by 
Prof. Williams “Azoturia” strychnia seems to do but little good and a complete recovery 
is best attained by turning to pasture for two or three months. In other cases it acts 
well producing a rapid recovery. In the earlier stages of this disease belladonna is an 
important remedy. Belladonna is very extensively used both externally and internally 
by all medical men. As an external application its effects are most readily seen and 
appreciated in the swollen udder of cows where suppuration is threatened. It not only 
reduces the swelling and pain consequent upon the inflammation, but at the same time 
diminishes and finally completely suppresses the secretion of milk. If applied early it 
will entirely prevent suppuration, and even in those cases where suppuration is inevit¬ 
able the extent of the suppuration will be greatly limited by its use. Where there are 
constitutional symptoms accompanying the local trouble belladonna should also be used 
internally. The secretion of sweat, saliva and mucles is also greatly reduced by the 
use of belladonna. 
Trousseau recommends the use of belladonna in obstinate constipation, it being 
claimed that it increases the peristaltic action of the intestines. Foster said if it is 
administered in conjunction with iron, the constipating effects of the latter drug, are 
prevented. Dr. Frazer was the first to discover that atropia excites the spinal cord and 
heightens reflex action, although this action is not displayed, from the motor nerves 
being paralyzed by its use. Dr. Harley considers belladonna a powerful heart tonic 
because of its power to reduce the frequency and strengthen the beats of the heart when 
weakened by disease. He also claims that a small dose contracts the arteries , while a 
large one dilates them. The contraction being due to stimulation, and the dilatation 
to exhaustion of the sympathetic nervous system resulting from its previous over-stimu¬ 
lation. Dr. Brown Sequard maintains that belladonna exerts a powerful influence upon 
the unstriped muscular fibres of the body, instancing the power of the drug to produce 
dilatation of the pupil of the eye, contraction of the blood-vessels of the mammae, thus 
arresting the secretion of milk, contraction of the muscular fibres of the bowels and 
sphincter of the bladder. 
I have lately seen atropia and morphia, one sixtieth of a gram of the former to one 
twenty-fourth of a grain of the latter, administered hippodermically to a man suffering 
from bronchial asthma, give almost immediate relief. If the disease we call heaves or 
emphysema is at first dependent upon the same nervous derangement, as held by 
Prof. Williams, the action of these two drugs should be tried upon our patients. If the 
small bronchial tubes are in a state of spasmodic contraction, and belladonna had the 
power of paralyzing the terminations of the vagi nerves it must necessarily give relief. 
Belladonna has been recommended to abort threatened attacks of bronchitis and other 
