POISONING BY ACETATE OF LEAD. 
165 
nished. The purulent expectoration likewise diminished, with- 
out any increase of oppression ; this advantageous result in- 
duced me to continue the treatment, and, during six weeks, I 
successively increased the dose of the medicine, so that at the 
end of this time the patient took two grains of the acetate of 
lead during the day. 
At this period, the patient experienced a marked relief, 
troubled from time to time with some returns of the same ge- 
neral symptoms from which he had been relieved, and, at each 
return, I employed, with success, the same means. In twelve 
weeks every trace of phthisis had disappeared, and the child, 
who returned to school, was no longer subject to medical treat- 
ment. He had taken, in the course of the disease, nearly an 
hundred and thirty grains of acetate of lead, without any poi- 
sonous or even hurtful effect. 
In the meantime, he could not regain, entirely, his health ; 
his strength declined, he became thin and pale, and his pulse 
frequent ; frequent difficulty of respiration, pains in the chest, 
and an obstinate cough of irritation. I was apprehensive of 
an immediate renewal of the consumptive attacks. My fears 
were realized, but in another manner. 
One month after the appetite gradually failed, the hypo- 
chondrium became affected with painful spasms ; the stools 
were rare and painful : the skin over the whole body became 
blueish ; the countenance became puffed up and hot, the hair 
fell out ; soon a convulsive cough supervened, accompanied 
by great difficulty of respiration, and burning pains in the 
chest, to which succeeded partial paralysis of the feet. This 
state remained fourteen days. One evening he experienced a 
violent access of fever, with heaviness of the head, paralysis 
of the eyelids, and convulsions in the face and extremities. 
All remedies were unavailable ; the patient remained insen- 
sible, in stupor or delirium ; he died the third day after, but no 
autopsy was made. — C. W. Huf elands Journ. des Pract. 
Heilk. 1839. 
The publication of this notice should not, however, lead to 
