POISONING  BY  GRANULES  OF  DIGITALIN.  267 
Half  an  hour  after,  she  had  administered  to  her  0*15  of  tartar 
emetic  which,  combined  with  titilation  of  the  throat,  produced, 
after  an  hour,  abundant  vomiting  (the  vomited  matters  were  not 
examined).  Coffee  and  brandy  were  then  given,  purgative  ene- 
mas and  sinapisms  were  applied.  During  the  night  and  follow- 
ing morning,  the  pulse  fell  from  72  to  60,  58,  and  finally  to  52. 
There  was  cephalalgia,  flushings  of  the  face,  and  faintness.  Cof- 
fee and  brandy  were  continued  all  day,  until  they  produced 
drunkenness.  There  was  then  reaction,  and  the  patient  slept 
towards  evening.  On  the  next  day  the  symptoms  had  disap- 
peared. 
To  complete  the  information  on  this  serious  subject  I  will  give 
a  third  case  of  poisoning,  in  this  instance  involuntary,  reported 
by  M.  Leroux,  of  Corbeny  (Aisne),  published  in  August,  1852. 
The  patient  was  a  man  of  72  years  of  age,  of  a  vigorous  con- 
stitution, with  oedema  of  the  inferior  members,  to  whom  had  been 
prescribed  two  granules  of  digitalin  each  day.  This  man,  who 
had  always  taken  large  pills,  and  with  whom  quantity  was  every- 
thing, judging  that  these  small  granules  could  have  no  action, 
took  thirty,  in  two  doses,  in  the  same  day. 
Five  hours  after  the  first  dose  he  had  slight  cephalalgia  and 
nausea.  Seven  hours  later  (having  taken  the  second  dose  in 
the  meantime)  there  was  extreme  precordial  anxiety  ;  the  tongue 
was  rather  charged  and  yellow  at  the  sides,  dryness  and  slight 
redness  in  the  middle  and  at  the  tip.  There  was  no  thirst ;  in 
fact  he  refused  drinks,  as  they  induced  vomiting.  The  abdomen 
was  retracted,  but  without  colic,  no  action  of  the  bowels ;  the 
urine  was  scanty,  of  a  reddish-brown,  with  an  abundant  brick- 
red  precipitate.  The  extremities  were  cool,  no  sweating.  The 
pulse  full,  regular,  lowered  from  68-70  to  48-50. 
Heartsounds  deep,  having  a  great  strength  of  impulsion ;  ce- 
phalalgia great  and  lancinating,  flushings  of  the  face,  dimness  of 
sight,  delirium,  and  vertigo.  The  sensibility  and  intelligence 
perfect.    No  noise  in  the  ears.    General  sinking  and  faintness. 
As  treatment,  were  employed — ipecacuanha,  stibiated  tartar, 
and  purgative  enemas ;  then  coffee  and  rum,  vinegar  and  water, 
and  lemonade.  On  the  third  day,  the  bowels  always  returning 
the  lavements  without  excrements,  calomel,  scammony,  and  cream 
of  tartar  were  administered,  which  acted  five  or  six  times.  The 
