Am.  Jour.  I'haim., 
Dec  ,  1885. 
Pressed  Ergot. 
621 
Mr.  M.  G.  Biggs,  M.R.C.S.,  of  Wandsworth,  the  nature  of  whose 
practice  affords  him  abundant  opportunity  for  watching  the  effects  of 
ergot.    I  append  the  result  of  his  trials  in  his  own  words : 
"  Report  on  Action  of  Liquid  Extract  of  Ergot. 
"  The  liquid  extract  of  ergot  supplied  by  Mr.  Moss  was  used  in  three  cases 
of  confinement.  All  had  had  children  previously  ;  in  the  first  case,  after 
the  birth  of  the  child  and  detachment  of  the  placenta  there  was  a  tendency 
to  flooding  owing  to  inertia  of  the  uterus  ;  in  about  fifteen  or  twenty  min- 
utes pains  came  on,  the  uterus  contracted,  and  haemorrhage  ceased,  the 
contraction  remaining  permanent ;  there  were  no  after  pains,  although 
after  each  previous  delivery  these  had  been  very  bad.  This  I  have  some- 
times found  before  as  a  result  of  administering  ergot,  and  therefore  regard 
it  as  an  extra  proof  of  perfect  action.  The  other  two  cases  were  simply 
suffering  from  inertia,  pains  were  weak  and  threatened  cessation  ;  in  each 
case  the  liquid  extract  was  used,  and  with  apparently  the  usual  results. 
Neither  of  these  cases  was,  however,  to  be  relied  on  fully,  as  pains  might 
have  come  on  naturally.  The  last  case  in  which  I  used  it,  however,  was 
an  almost  perfect  physiological  experiment. 
"  It  was  a  case  of  miscarriage  at  the  third  month.  When  I  arrived  the 
patient  had  lost  a  large  amount  of  blood,  and  was  having  labor  pains  rather 
severely ;  the  ovum,  however,  was  projecting  slightly  from  a  partially 
dilated  os,  the  vagina  was  plugged,  and  the  hsemorrhage  and  pain  ceased. 
The  next  evening  on  removing  the  plug  things  were  in  statu  quo.  I  gave 
a  dose  of  the  liquid  extract  (one  drachm)  and  plugged  again.  Shortly  after 
pains  again  came  on,  but  did  not  last  long.  The  next  day  two  other  doses 
were  given  of  the  same  strength,  and  each  time  pains  came  on  and  lasted 
some  time,  and  on  removing  the  second  plug  the  os,  which  had  before  been 
partly  opened,  was  now  firmly  closed.  The  case  is  still  proceeding,  but 
there  could  be  no  clearer  proof  of  the  action  of  the  liquid  extract  than  the 
cessation  of  pains  altogether,  unless  shortly  after  a  dose  of  ergot,  and  the 
recurrence  of  these  phenomena'after  each  separate  dose. 
"  Mr.  Webb,  my  assistant,  has  also  used  the  liquid  extract,  and  he  is  con- 
vinced that  it  is  perfectly  active,  and  says  the  patients  prefer  it  to  other 
kinds  ;  in  his  estimation  it  is  an  elegant  preparation." 
From  these  observations  it  appears  conclusive  that  pressed  ergot 
retains  full  potency  after  six  and  a  half  years,  and  that  no  special  care 
is  necessary  to  preserve  it  from  insect  attacks  or  from  climatic  influ- 
ences which  are  adverse  to  the  ordinary  drug. 
I  beg  to  express  my  thanks  to  Mr.  Biggs  for  the  prompt  and  efl^ec- 
tive  assistance  which  lias  given  point  to  this  short  report. — Phar.  Jour. 
Trans.,  Sept.  26,  1885,  p.  274. 
Quininp:  lactate,  dissolved  in  foar  parts  of  water,  is  recuiimended  by 
Vigier  for  hypodermic  use.  The  salt  is  rich  in  alkaloid,  has  a  neutral 
reaction,  and  its  injection  does  not  produce  pain  or  inflammation. — Gaz. 
Ilebdom. 
