OF THE BITES OF POISONOUS ANIMALS.
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gradually diffuse themselves over the whole muscular system, similar towhat happens in tetanus, or locked jaw, which disorder is principallyand primarily nervous. Flying pains, tightness and oppression of theprjecordia, is one of the constant symptoms of this disorder; nor is ituncommon to observe, in strong constitutions, a priapism, or even aAistful appetite exerting itself with some degree of violence. The tonguebecomes dry and rough, the voice hoarse, the thirst considerable; yetthey cannot drink: they vomit a bilious matter; they dislike to see adog come into the room, or any person in scarlet apparel. A fever withgreat heat comes on; they start, rage, and foam at the mouth; theirpulse sinks, their breath fails; cold clammy sweats, convulsions, tiuddeath, terminate the misery of the wretched sufferer.
The indications of cure are to take off the spasmodic symptoms, andto throw the insidious poison out of the habit: this is to be attemptedby a low diet; by bleeding freely ; by vomiting with the vitriolatedquicksilver; by rubbing in the ointment of quicksilver not only near theplace where the bite was received, but along the spine of the back; bythe use of the warm bath ; by oil thrown into the body by frictions fre-quently repeated; by the mouth, as often and as much as can be gotdown, and injected by the anus in the form of a lavement; in fine, byspeedily exciting a salivation by the internal and external use of the pre-parations of quicksilver, of which the vitriolated, for internal use, hat»i these cases been deemed the most useful. Take solid opium an<jlitriolated quicksilver of each one grain and a half to two grains, camphor three, tartarized antimony half a grain ; let them be well rubbedtogether in a glass mortar, and with conserve of roses from a bolus, tobe giv«n at bed-time. This (if the patient can take any liquid), mixedwith large doses of the acetated water of ammonia (Mindererus's spirit),will act as an anodyne, sedative, and sudorific. A bolus formed of muskfifteen grains, red sulphurated quicksilver one scruple, may be givenevery six hours. Every morning let him have a bolus formed of muskand Russian castor of each twelve grains, vitriolated quicksilver twograins, conserve enough to mix. them. The camphorated mixture withthe acetated water of ammonia, and wine also, should be taken freely,provided the aversion to liquids is not so strong as to render the exhibi-tion of them impracticable. In this case, wine and vinegar should beinjected up the rectum, and, when he is deprived of the power of swal-lowing light and nutritive food, glysters of animal broths must be inject-ed, and sponges moistened with them may be applied to the region ofth stomach. Care must be taken that the patient be so confined bytaeans 0 f a strait waistcoat, as to render him incapable of doing injury0 himse.if or his attendants.
To assuc^g e n i s thirst, wine and water, or negus well acidulated withvegetable aci:^ mav he poured down his throat from the spout of a teapot; but if hi-g aversion to liquids is insurmountable, a sponge dipt indot vinegar ma_ v h e kept constantly to his mouth and nostrels.
Topical applications must not be neglected: after a dozen leechesnave been apph eQ to tne t h roa t, place on it a piece of thin flanneVmoistened three t )r f our t j mes a ^j a y with the following anodyne linimentCompound soap 1 hiiment three ounces, powdered opium two drachms,mixed with a ver^, g cnt i e j^t. Or, after rubbing in this liniment, cover
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