OF THE BITES OF POISONOUS ANIMALS.

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formed without injuring any large blood-vessel. Resides this precau-tion, the wound should be frequently washed by a tooth-brush or sponge,with soap and water, salt and water, salt and vinegar, or by pouringcold water upon it from a considerable height; and, to prevent thecanine virus from remaining about the wounded part, it should be keptopen, and a discharge promoted from it for several weeks, by drawingand stimulating ointments; nay, should it be our lot to meet with a mis-fortune so much to be dreaded, we would not hesitate, after cleansingthe wound by some of the methods above-mentioned, to apply a cuppingglass three or four times, and after drawing blood by scarification, andapplying, during a few hours, a cataplasm formed of common salt slightlymoistened with water, renewed every two hours, we would lay on linencloths saturated with the decoction of arsenic mentioned in the chapteron Cancer (p. 299), dissolving in each ounce of that liquor half a drachmof strained opium. This being done during twenty-four hours, the woundbeing wiped dry with lint, two drachms of the stronger ointment ofquicksilver should be rubbed into it, and the part covered with a blister-ing-plaster somewhat larger than the wound.

As soon as a bladder is perceived to have risen under the plaster,puncture the blister, let out the lymph, and, in order to promote a dis-charge, dress it daily for the space of sevetal weeks with an ointmentcomposed of equal parts of the ointment or of the plaster oi'cantharidisand the stronger ointment of quicksilver, melted together by a verygentle heat Let a drachm of the latter be rubbed into the parts aboutthe wound, or into the forepart of the legs of the patient, every othernight; meanwhile, if he is plethoric, bleed. Vomit with a dose of threeto six grains of vitriolated quicksilver, and every night at bed-time givethe following medicine: Camphor five grains, purified opium and vitrio-lated quicksilver of each one grain and a half, tartarized antimony halfa grain, conserve of roses enough to form these into a bolus. To pro-mote perspiration, let him take from time to time, (luring the night, fourtable-spoonfuls of the following sudorific: Camphorated mixture eightounces, water of acetated ammonia four ounces. Twice or thrice a-dayfor many weeks he may take powder of Virginian snake-root twentygrains, cinchona half a drachm, ginger six grains; mix, and take it witha glass of generous wine.

Camphor may also be given in the following manner: Take purifiednitre half an ounce, Virginian snake-root two drachms, camphor onedrachm: rub them together in a mortar, and divide them into ten doses;one of them to be taken daily, or oftener. The following is likewise agood antispasmodic medicine: Take of Virginian snake-root in powderhalf a drachm, gum asafcetida twelve grains, gum camphor seven grains;make these into a bolus with a little syrup of saffron: to be taken asabove.

Good vinegar, which is employed as an useful addition to drink in in-flammatory fevers (in the proportion of an ounce or two to a quart), as amedicine in putrid diseases, and to c< rrect the effects of narcotic poi-sons, is likewise in this case of considerable service, and should be takeiifieely either in the patient's food or drink.

During the use of the mercurial ointment, the patient must ke< pwithin doors, and take nothing cold.

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