GLEANINGS  FROM  AMERICAN  JOURNALS. 
125 
Sorghum  molasses  as  a  remedy  in  Diarrhoea  is  suggested  by 
the  same  writer. 
Cannabis  Indica  in  Strychnia  poisoning  was  administered  by 
Dr.  S.  A.  McWilliams,  of  Chicago,  in  teaspoonful  doses  of  the 
tincture  at  intervals  of  5, 10  and  15  minutes,  in  a  case  where  five 
grains  of  strychnia  had  been  taken  with  suicidal  intent,  more 
than  three  hours  before  he  saw  the  patient.  The  latter  was  lying 
on  his  back,  with  frequent  spasms,  frothing  at  the  mouth,  pupils 
dilated,  pulse  130.  Towards  the  end  camphor  was  given,  and 
recovery  occurred  in  48  hours.  (Humb.  Med.  Archiv.  Jan.  1869). 
Poisoning  by  Opium  sold  in  mistake  for  Rhubarb. — Dr.  P.  J. 
Farnsworth  describes  (Phila.  Med.  and  Surg.  Reporter,  Jan.  30),  a 
case  in  which  a  young  man  stepped  into  a  drug  store  in  Clinton, 
Iowa,  and  asked  for  a  dose  of  Turkey  Rhubarbs  The  clerk  waiting 
on  him  remarked,  on  giving  the  powder,  that  there  was  enough 
for  two  doses.  On  returning  home  he  took  two-thirds  of  the  pow- 
der on  some  jelly  with  some  warm  drink  and  retired  at  9  o'clock, 
p.  M.,  complained  of  restlessness  and  headache,  and  did  not  sleep 
for  6  hours,  and  then  went  to  sleep  and  soon  after  had  a  convulsion 
and  then  passed  into  a  stertorous  condition,  which  first  caused 
alarm.  Dr.  F.  was  called  at  4  A.  M.,  and  thinking  it  an  apoplec- 
tic attack  prescribed  bleeding.  The  remains  of  the  powder  being 
shown  was  recognized  as  opium,  when  an  attempt  was  made  to 
arouse  the  patient,  whose  pupils  were  contracted,  and  consider- 
ing it  too  late  for  emetics,  resorted  to  fluid  extract  of  belladonna, 
no  atropia  being  available  for  hypodermic  application.  Galvanism 
was  also  used,  but  all  were  of  no  avail,  the  patient  succumbing  at  8 
o'clock  A.  M.,  with  pupils  widely  dilated.  The  paper  says  nothing 
of  the  circumstances  of  the  case  as  regards  the  druggist,  as  to 
whether  he  had  labelled  it  or  not.  The  physician  attributed  the 
mistake  to  "  criminal  heedlessness  on  the  part  of  the  druggist." 
This  it  undoubtedly  was,  as  the  druggist's  remark  that  it  was 
sufficient  for  two  doses  proved  his  intent  to  give  rhubarb  rather 
than  opium,  as  the  patient  took  about  30  grains.  The  alleged 
counter-poisonous  effect  of  atropia  in  opium  poisoning  deserves  a 
careful  investigation  to  determine  in  what  conditions  it  is  appro- 
priate and  safe,  else  the  antidote  may  usurp  the  poisonous  role 
and  prove  the  greater  evil. 
