AN ANTIDOTE FOR STRYCHNINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1028, 9 November 1882, Page 3

AN ANTIDOTE FOR STRYCHNINE.

A correspondent furnishes a coniemporm-y witht.be following: —“Let th« patient be reclined in an easy position. Where suitable appliances for administering chloroform ore at hand, as in hospitals, everything is easy where they are not, in private houses, then a bit of sponge or c'oth sprinkled with it, and laid on a plate near the patient’s head will answer. Then cover both the sponge and the head with a handkerchief, and in a moment, or less, heavy breathing wi'l con - tnence, and, simultaneously, all signs of spasm or stiffness will disappear. From time to time, when the breathing has become loud or stertorous, lift (he handkerchief and allow' fresh air to be inhaled, but as soon as a twitch of the spasm appears, administer (he chloroform, as before, and do so until the spasm recurs no more, and then the life is saved. This writer has assisted in cases when the patient has been held off and on as described, for nine hours before recovery. The time a clog takes is generally between three and four hours. I have saved the lives of two or three of my own dogs, and speak from experience. I would advise the instrue tors in Materia Medica and forsensic medicine to make a cla-s experiment by poisoning two dogs, and allowing one to die and saving the other, (If chloroform

■Mould not happen t ’ ' j u st. at hand and I,ho putien e nan dwn l> w M 8 wall portion of ■ouiiiion st)d<i disso'vici i< water may be given, heeau-o alkaline Mibs'am-e* relax'd the •ibso. pi ion of t.ho poi-on.)