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Southland Times, Issue 863, 11 December 1867, Page 3

Eemadona v. Opium. — That Belladona or deadly nightshade, is antagonistic to opium, ib not a novelty ; hut its aptitude to put a stop to the progress of the dangerous symptoms consequent upon intoxication hy opium has been seldom satisfactorily tested. The Abeille Medicate however publishes a case of the kind, described by Dr C. Paul. A young woman having attempted to poison herself by talcing 30 gms. of laudnum she was taken ill, and repenting of her folly, confessed what she had done and asked for a doctor. Fortunately an emetic was at hand, and was instantly administered with good effect. The physician came two hpurs after the poison had been taken, and found the patient in a state of violent agitation, very red in the face, her eyes half shut and her eyelashes inflamed. The coniunctiva was strongly injected and the iris contracted, bo that the pupil was scarcely a milliiretre in breadth. The skin was warm and covered with a viscous prespiration ; the pulse beat 120, breathing was tolerably regular, but interrupted at intervals with deep drawn sighs, as if the air inhaled were not sufficient ; the tongue red and there was nausea, thirst, and sensation of heat in the throat. Dr Paul ordered strong coffee to slake the patient's thirst, and then prescribed a potion of 75 gms. of tincture of belladona, to be taken at the rate of a teaspoonful being calculated to contain at least a gramme of tincture. Immediately after taking the first dose the patient felt greatly relieved ; she could open her eyes, but there was still no dilitation of the pupil, and vision continued indistinct. This improvement lasted half an hour, after which, the patient relapsed into her former state. At the end of an hour another spoonful was administered with the same result, and the improvement lasted three quarters of an hour, but this was all that could be obtained each time. DrPaul perceiving this, directed the tincture to be administed every three-quarters of an hour, instead of an hour, and this led to a complete recovery. Nevertheless, the pupil remained contracted until upward of 14 grammes of the tincture had been taken. — Gaiginani.