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ether part of the skin prepared in the fame way, employing a solution of the poifon in rum, in less than four minutes the animal died.

I then wounded the skin of a small rabbit flightly, and applied to it feveral drops of a folution of the poifon in oil of vitriol. The rabbit felt no ill effects

from it.

I next prepared as usual the skin of a small rabbit, and wet it with a folution of the poifon in the dephlogifticated marine acid: and the animal did not suffer from it.

I alfo made an experiment with the folution of this poifon in vinegar.

Of fix animals treated with the folution in vinegar, two died, two had all the symptoms of the disease caused by the poison, and the other two were not affected by it.

In thefe inftances, we cannot fuppofe, fays FONTANA, that the mineral acids prevented the effects of the poison of the ticunas; or the lunar cauftic that of the viper; by crisping and hardening the blood-vessels, and thus preventing the poifon from infinuating itself this way into the blood, for the fluid volatile alkali has no fuch property, and this muft appear to us ftrange, 40 2

he

he adds, when we confider the great agreement there is betwixt the FLUID ALKALI and LUNAR CAUSTIC*.

In India there is a medicine in great repute for the bite of the Cobra de Capello, called the fnake-pill †, • which is said also to be a specific against CANINE MAD-` NESS, which diforder deferves here to be confidered. We have a very accurate description of the symptoms of hydrophobia, or as it is more properly called rabies contagiosa, by Dr. WOLF, in five cafes of persons who died of this dreadful difeafe.

The eye, as in typhus fever, is impatient of the least light; any bright colour creates uneafinefs; the mind is It is revery irritable; the best friends are disliked. markable that the lint, or other dreffings, when taken off difcover a black furface, even though the wound may

*Now the dawn of a probable theory has broke in upon us, we are able to diftinguish the operation of these two bodies, which deftroy contiguity of parts in the living body from very different causes. The LUNAR CAUSTIC, as was faid before, is filver combined with the nitrous acid, and that to the oxygen of that mineral acid it owed its powers (Vide Vol. I. p. 343). Now the FLUID VOLALILE ALKALI is azot and hydrogen (Vide Vol. I. p. 39), which has the strongest affinity for fixed air (carbon combined with oxygen), and by difpoffeffing from animal matter its carbon and oxygen it acts; for when previously faturated with fixed air, it has then no fuch property, but becomes mild alkali.

This is compofed of the oxyd of arfenic and a small portion of the oxyd of mercury.

discharge

difcharge good pus; the fauces have no appearance of redness; the face, which at first is pale, becomes brown, and during each spasmodic attack turns almost quite black; the lips are extremely livid; as the difeafe advances each paroxyfm is lefs violent; the patient has intervals of reason; the dread of ftrangulation from water goes off; the pulfe becomes weak, quick, and fluttering; and the body feels remarkably cold; he then compofes himself as it were to fleep, and expires. Upon diffection there is not to be found the leaft trace of inflammarion.

From this appearance of things, have we not reason to expect fome advantage from the inhalation of VITAL AIR? Opium, camphor, mufk, and fubmerfion, have from repeated trials juftly loft their reputation in this disease *. The abftraction of oxygen from the fyf

* These remedies have been employed from confidering this disease as purely NERVOUS. The nature of fpafmodic affections and the operation of opium has not till of late been properly afcertained. Profeffors have taught that OPIUM allays pain, but they have not diftinguished the pain of inflammation, and that arifing from a state of afthenia. In the former, or fthenic diathefis, it augments the pain, and incapacity for fleep. Vide Vol. II. p. 332. In the latter opium removes pain, because it removes by its stimulant operation its caufe, and thus predifpofes to fleep. Brandy and wine in fuch cafes would produce nearly the fame operation. This is the difcovery of the author of the Elementa, Dr. BROWN. Vide Vol. III. p. 465.

tem

tem by immoderate exercise *, is alfo found to be no remedy, and in dogs it is the fymptom of the disorder.

It

may be faid, that the oxyd of mercury + has been administered in this difeafe, and without advantage; but as far as I have read, it has been constantly in such cases accompanied with musk, bleeding, opium, or camphor. But whether in this alarming diforder it be better to oxygenate the blood or not when the disease has taken place, as prevention is always better than cure, it fhould оссиру

most of our attention.

When the contagion of a putrid fever is taken by the faliva into the ftomach and bowels, which is its conftant road, if the patient, the moment he finds himself attacked with a fenfe of chillinefs, lofs of appetite, and an unpleasant tafte in his mouth, has re

*This is recommended by John HUNTER, because a man in hydrophobia ran three times round Smithfield, and exhausted by the fatigue, secmed for a while relieved! Vide John HUNTER's Differtation on Hydrophobia.

+ M. MATHEU, after bleeding and purging, excites as foon as poffible falivation. He fays, “ the hydrophobia yields, as it were, by enchantment, "when the falivation appears; and it must be kept up according to the degree "of the disease and the strength of the patient." The illustrious SAUVAGÉ, fpeaking of Mercury, declares," apres bien de recherches. L'ignore que ce "remede ait encore manqué, etant, meme appliqué quand le rage etoit de"clarée." "After many enquiries, I know not," fays SAUVAGE, “whether mercury has ever failed, even when the hydrophobia had com"menced,"

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course to two emetics at proper intervals, and after the operation of the firft emetic, takes a cathartic, he has certainly got rid of the infection: in the fame way, even after three days, or perhaps a week, if the part bitten by the dog be cut out with the knife, the danger is escaped. But fometimes it will happen that the patient will not fubmit to this operation, or to the application of the lunar cauftic, which perhaps may be preferable to the knife, and it then becomes an object of enquiry, what next should be done? This was the cafe three years ago. Five men were bitten by a dog fuppofed to be mad, and which was fhot. The village doctor, who knew in this disease nothing beyond the knife, finding his patients refufe the operation, had recourfe to Dr. THORNTON's advice. This phyfician recommended the application of hot vinegar fharpened with vitriolic acid, the wounds being first scarified, and the events turned out favourable. Are the mineral and vegetable acids correctors of this poison? Or in these five cases did the cloth prevent the infertion of this poifon? In this age of investigation this will, in all probability, be foon fully ascertained.

*Immedicabile vulnus enfe recidendum est.”

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