Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.
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vessels. Instead of this being always the fact, probably many of
these symptoms arise from caiises altogether different, which,
judging by the effects produced, bear a close resemblance to
poisons. For example, there is a common idea " that in acute
cerebral affections dilatation of the pupil only attends the state
of coma or insensibility, and that, on the other hand, contraction
of the pupil is always associated with a morbidly ' active ' state
of the sensorium." This opinion, he thinks, is shown to be
erroneous by his attentive observations of the pupil in a suc-
cession of fever cases ; and also by the fact that poisoning with
a certain species of mushroom produces contracted pupils during
the stage of perfect insensibility, but widely-dilated pupils, during
the fury of delirium. The coma with contracted pupils, that
may be caused by opium, he thinks can always be relieved by
belladonna, if timely given; that the sub-cutaneous injection
of morphia will cure one class of neuralgic seated pains, while
it is only atrophia thus iised that will reach another class, i. e.,
where morphia fails; that in case either should act unex-
pectedly, too profoundly, the other will neutralize it. But I
must here add as a precaution, not to venture too much in
trying the sub-cutaneous injection of so powerful an agent as
atrophia.
The following case of laudanum poisoning-, treated with elec-
tricity by Dr. Russel, house physician of King's College Hospital,
shows the value of this agent as an excitor of the great nervous
centres: Mary Ann H., aged two months, had taken, through
a mistake, some twelve drops of laudanum. The medicine had
produced deep sleep, and in the space of two hours, convulsive
movements of the extremities. "When admitted, the infant was
quite insensible and as motionless. The surface was cold and
exsanguine; the impulse of the heart could not be made out.
Breathing was very difficult, and was performed with intervals
of half a minute, at least, between the inspirations. The pupils
were very small, and she had lost the power of swallowing. The
usual remedies had been employed witlumt success, and in a
quarter of an hour more, the child appeared to be quite dead;
but while being removed, she was heard to rattle in her throat,