Hydrocyanic Acid

Authorities. 69, Manchester Examiner (Pharm. Journ., Second Ser., vol. vii, 1866, p. 487), Catha line Joyce committed suicide with an overdose; 70, John W. Tripe, Brit. Med. Journ., Jan., 1877, p. 11, D. A. took Scheele’s acid, death in eight or nine minutes; about 2 minims were found in his stomach ; 71, Dr. Hunt, Med. Times and Gaz., 1878 (1), p. 37, a boy, jet. three years, ate several bitter almonds; 72, E. W. Berridge, Am. Obs., 1876, p. 15-16 (Horn. Times, vol. vii, p. 12, of Retrospect of Literature), a girl took 1 grain.

Staggering, and soon fell to the ground; groaning; breathed quick; foaming at the mouth; hand clenched,—Eyes prominent and glistening; pupils slightly dilated and insensible to light; lips, as well as the tongue, purplish ; gasping for breath with his mouth wide open ; heart’s action had ceased, whilst the breathing was irregular and gasping, and continued so for about two minutes, when he ceased to live ; pulse scarcely perceptible; muscles of the arms relaxed ; fingers contracted ; skin clammy ; a very small quantity of vomit on his beard and clothes,™.—[510.j Apparently unconscious, slightly cyanotic, and markedly pale, with eyelids closed ; on raising the eyelids the pupils were seen to be moderately dilated ; the arms were stiffened through tonic spasms of the muscles,^*.—She instantly jumped up, ran for a short distance, holding up her arms and gasping for breath, fell and became insensible, and was violently convulsed ; muscles of the face undergoing great distortion, lind)s spasmodically extended, and head drawn down upon the shoulders ; she was then removed to a bed ; whole body was drawn a little forward ; the limbs fixed and extended in tetanic spasm ; face swollen, turgid, and almost purple from congestion ; jaws clenched, mouth covered with foam, eyes half closed, prominent, and glistening ; pupils widely dilated, insensible to light; breathing slow, with deep prolonged inspiration, and uttering a low moaning and could not bear light; an hour and a half before death was insensible, face pale and cold, pupils contracted, respiration slow and stertorous, pulse quick and weak,™.

HYOSCYAIillNUM.

Authorities. 8, J. S. Pearse, Lancet, 1876 (2), p. 319, effects of grain, dro})ped on the conjunctiva; 9, same, effects of injecting hypodermically.

Mind

Giddiness

[HO.] Headache

Injection of the conjunctiva

Dilatation of the pupil was very obvious, and usually present

As soon as the topical action commenced, misty vision was frequently complained of, which lasted from a few hours to four days. This was present in about half the cases, and varied from a slight dimness to an extent which rendered it impossible for the patient to read unless the print was within two or three inches of the nose. The time required to produce full dilatation was found to be about fifteen minutes; the longest being twenty-five minutes, and the shortest ten minutes. In no instance did it fail to produce its results; and in the majority of the cases the dilatation was extreme, the iris being reduced to simply a narrow line. No diplopia was produced. There was total insensibility of the iris, lasting a variable time; the duration of dilatation also varied, lasting from two to twenty-one days

Face p. 544

Flushing of the face

Mouth p. 544

Dryness of the mouth and pharynx, coming on usually within half an hour

Throat p. 544

Pulse increased in frequency

Pulsation of the carotids was increased and visible on the surface in a few instances

Sleep p. 544

Tendency to sleep

Fever p. 544

The skin in some instances became hot as well as dry, and a rise in the temperature to the extent of 10° in an hour was noted where the full constitutional effects was produced