ASPARAGUS  AS  A  DIURETIC. 
557 
fact.  In  a  recent  instance  of  poisoning  by  strychnia  in  New  York,  a 
gentleman  took  about  two  grains  of  strychnia  in  mistake  for  qui- 
nine, mixed  with  Dover's  Powder,  and  three  quarters  of  an  hour  elapsed  be- 
fore he  suspected  the  mistake.  The  remedies  administered  at  once  were 
tannin  and  emetics  of  sulph.  zinc  and  copper,  the  tetanic  symptoms  having 
set  in  before  the  remedies  were  given,  his  jaws  being  kept  apart  by  wooden 
wedges.  Neither  of  these  agents  caused  eraej^s  until  a  current  of  magnetic 
electricity  was  applied  in  the  gastic  region.  The  patient  recovered. — Edi- 
tor Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.] 
ASPARAGUS  AS  A  DIURETIC. 
By  S.  J.  Jeaffreson,  M.  D. 
I  have  used  a  tincture  of  asparagus  as  a  diuretic  for  sixteen 
or  seventeen  years,  with  increasing  confidence  in  its  usefulness 
and  efficacy.  I  have  thought  it  worth  the  notice  of  our  Associa- 
tion at  this  particular  period,  because  the  time  is  now  approach- 
ing at  which  any  gentleman  may  easily  make  the  experiment  of 
its  use.  I  use  the  following  formula :  Take  of  dried  tops  of 
asparagus,  five  ounces  ;  proof  spirit,  two  pints.  Take  of  fresh 
tops  of  asparagus,  five  pounds.  Bruise  and  press  out  the  juice  ; 
evaporate  at  a  low  temperature  till  reduced  to  one  pint,  and 
strain.  Lastly,  add  a  pint  of  rectified  spirit.  Mr.  Baly,  chemist, 
of  Warwick,  can  furnish  any  person  desirous  of  trying  the  tincture 
with  a  limited  supply,  and  will  be  happy  to  make  any  quantity 
that  may  be  ordered  of  him. 
The  peculiar  odor  communicated  by  this  substance  to  the  urine, 
in  a  remarkably  short  time,  is  perhaps  as  familiar  to  the  laity  as 
the  profession.  It  was  this  fact  first  led  me  to  think  that  as- 
paragus might  constitute  a  valuable  adjunct  to  our  list  of 
diuretics  ;  if  not  indeed  by  virtue  of  any  specific  diuretic  quality 
it  possessed,  at  least  by  its  power  of  directing  other  agents  of 
acknowledged  diuretic  power  to  the  kidneys. 
On  referring  to  such  authorities  as  fell  in  my  way,  I  found 
that,  whilst  some  mentioned  asparagus  as  a  diuretic  in  general 
terms,  without  any  specific  reference  to  its  medicinal  administra- 
tion, others  omitted  entirely  to  notice  this  plant,  and  some  others 
denied  its  diuretic  properties  entirely.  It  appeared  to  me  evi- 
dent that  any  deductions  drawn  on  this  subject  had  been  founded 
entirely  on  its  effects  as  an  article  of  food,  and  not  upon  any 
