THE  PREPARATIONS  OF  CONIUM,  ETC. 
453 
ing  an  ebullition.  Evaporate  with  constant  stirring  till  the  ex- 
tract is  of  sufficient  consistence  to  form  pills.  Such  directions, 
taken  in  conjunction  with  the  precaution  "  ne  amburatur"  given 
in  the  previous  formula,  sufficiently  indicate  by  what  agency  the 
powerful  juice  was  reduced  to  an  inert  mass.  As  with  the  dried 
leaf,  so  with  the  extract,  the  active  principle  has  departed  and  a 
dead  inert  body  alone  remains.  The  above  mentioned  authors 
introduce  us  to  scores  of  patients  who  are  taking  the  extract  of 
hemlock  largely.  We  look  from  one  to  another  to  discover  some 
evidence — no  matter  how  slight — of  its  action,  but  we  search  in 
vain ;  not  a  trace  even  of  its  earliest  and  most  prominent  effects 
are  anywhere  visible.  We  can  hardly  admit  that  these  effects, 
evanescent  though  they  be,  could  have  been  overlooked  by  such 
a  body  of  intelligent  observers.  As  scholars,  at  least,  they  were 
acquainted  with  the  observations  of  Paulus  iEgineta,  Dioscorides, 
Plato,  Galen,  Plinius,  respecting  the  action  of  hemlock  ;  and,  as 
scientific  facts,  these  observations  were  repeatedly  advanced  in 
the  discussions  which  the  treatise  of  Storck  excited  in  those 
days.* 
Passing  by  these  earlier  observers,  I  find  the  effects  of  hem- 
lock practically  indicated,  for  the  first  time,  in  the  works  of  Dr. 
Fothergill.  Speaking  of  a  particular  patient,  he  says,  "  The 
dose  of  hemlock  (extract)  was  gradually  increased  from  20  to  70 
grains  a  day ;  if  he  took  more,  it  either  made  him  sickish  or 
created  a  singular  kind  of  headache  and  giddiness. "f  These 
are,  I  think,  real  indications  of  the  presence  of  hemlock.  It 
must  be  observed,  however,  that  the  extract  used  by  Dr.  Fother- 
gill was  much  more  carefully  prepared  than  that  used  by  Storck 
and  his  contemporaries, — precautions  having  been  taken  both  to 
collect  the  plant  at  the  proper  time,  when  the  active  principle  is 
most  abundant,  and  to  avoid  prolonged  exposure  of  the  juice  to 
a  high  temperature. 
A  medical  friend  of  Bertrand  administered       of  carefully 
*  Bertrand,  "  Recueil  de  Memoires  de  Med.,  de  Chir.,  et  de  Pharm. 
Militaires,"  lere  ser.  vol.  ix.  p.  313. 
f  De  Ilaen,  op.  cit.  Yiventius  J.,  "  De  Cicuta,"  Naples,  1777,  which 
contains  a  very  complete  reference  to  the  observations  of  the  Ancients 
on  the  action  of  Hemlock. 
