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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1054, 28 June 1871, Page 2

Mr W. Moore, hornceopathist, of Sydney, communicates tlie following to, a paper in that city :—-'* An antidote to strychnine is common smoking tobacco —two cases are selected to convey some idea of its power. One, a largo pointer dog, which had eaten poisoned meat, and showed strong symptoms of poisoning by strychnine. 1 first gave ten grains of camphor in liquid form, in spite of which the dog had several violent spasms, and ultimately went as stiff as an iceberg. I then gave him a strong depoction of tobacco, which, as the spasms relapsed, slowly passed down his throat; the muscles again became so perfectly rigid for full five minutes that the only of life remaining was a slight action of the heart; the spasms gradually gave way, the animal got. ou his feet, vomited the contents of his stomach, and in fifteen

minutes was as well as ever, and so continued. The next was a small poodle dog, which 1 took from the street in a dying state. The symptoms were equally severe as in the former case. In this instance I gave a scruple of lobelia in water, which caused instantaneous \omiting. Ko further spasms occurred; but half an hour after the animal's hindquarters were still paralyzed. Four grains of camphor were then administered ; in thirty minutes more he could walk a little. I then gave a dessert-spoonful of the decoction of tobacco; in thirteen minutes the little animal appeared in perfect health. I therefore deem tobacco a perfect antidote to strychnine, and should occasion offer, I would without the least hesitation administer a decoction of our common smoking tobacco. The method hitherto adopted was to cut up half an ounce of fig tobacco, macerate it in a quarter of a pint of hot water, press it out, and administer from one fourth to the lot at a dose, according to the circumstances of the case."