PROPERTIES  OF  SULPHATE  OF  ANILINE. 
63 
powerful  and  useful  properties.    He  had  made  some  trials  of 
more  than  one  of  them,  and  especially  of  the  sulphate  of  the 
artificial  alkaloid  aniline,  which  he  had  administered  in  cases  of 
nervous  disorder.    He  then  proceeded  to  give  an  account  of  six 
cases  of  chorea  which  he  had  treated  successfully  with  this  new 
remedy.    The  first  was  the  case  of  a  girl  aged  thirteen,  who  had 
involuntary  twitching  movements  in  all  the  limbs,  and  was  for 
two  months  under  the  usual  treatment,  but  without  deriving  the 
slightest  benefit  till  the  sulphate  of  aniline  was  given.  She 
then  recovered  rapidly  and  got  quite  well.    The  second  was  a 
case  in  which  the  left  side  was  chiefly  affected,  and  the  recovery 
was  perfect  in  twenty-one  days.    The  third  was  a  case  in  which 
the  twitching  movements  were  brought  on  by  a  fright,  and  the 
recovery  took  place  in  fourteen  days.    The  fourth  and  fifth  were 
cases  of  recovery  from  the  ordinary  form  of  the  disease.  The 
sixth  was  a  case  of  unusual  severity,  with  partial  loss  of  power 
of  the  lower  limbs  and  inability  to  speak.    Rapid  and  perfect 
recovery  was,  however,  effected  in  this  case  by  means  of  the 
same  remedy.    He  adverted  to  two  other  cases  in  which  sul- 
phate of  aniline  had  been  used  with  success  by  other  medical 
men  ;  and  he  expressed  the  conviction  that  it  would  be  found 
by  the  profession  to  be  a  valuable  new  agent  in  the  treatment 
of  this  class  of  nervous  diseases.    In  regard  to  the  physiologi- 
cal action,  he  stated  that  aniline  appeared  to  act  directly  on 
the  nervous  system.  The  most  remarkable  effect,  however,  which 
it  produced  was  a  transient  alteration  in  the  color  of  the  skin 
and  lips,  which  he  attributed  to  oxidation  of  the  aniline  and  the 
formation  of  a  coloring  matter  in  the  blood.     But  this,  it  was 
observed,  must  be  speedily  eliminated  from  the  system,  as  the 
natural  color  was  restored  as  soon  as  the  remedy  was  laid  aside. 
The  President  (Dr.  Davy),  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
the  author  of  the  paper,  drew  attention  to  the  physiological 
action  ;  and  in  the  discussion  which  ensued  Dr.  Moffatt  and 
other  gentlemen  took  part. — Lond.  Pharm.  Joum.,  Nov.  1861. 
