by giving four doses of twenty grains each, in the course of twenty minutes.[1]
These facts are sufficiently perplexing, when viewed along with what were previously quoted in support of the poisonous effects of tartar-emetic. On a full consideration of the whole circumstances, however, I conceive the conclusion which will be drawn is, that this substance is not so active a poison as was till lately supposed;—that in the dose of four, six, or ten grains, it may cause severe symptoms, but is uncertain in its action,—and that although there appears to be some uncertainty in the effects of even much larger doses, such as a scruple, yet in general violent irritation will then be induced, and sometimes death itself.
An instance is related in the Journal Universel of a man who, while in a state of health, swallowed seventeen grains, and then tried to suffocate himself with the fumes of burning charcoal. He recovered, though not without suffering severely from the charcoal fumes; but he could hardly be said to have been affected at all by the tartar-emetic.[2] Here the inactivity of the poison was probably owing to the narcotic effects of the fumes.
The effects of tartar-emetic on the skin are worthy of notice; but they have not yet been carefully studied. Some facts tend to show that even its constitutional action may be developed through the sound skin. Mr. Sherwen attempted to prove by experiments on himself and two pupils, that five or seven grains in solution will, when rubbed on the palms, produce in a few hours nausea and copious perspiration.[3] His observations have been confirmed by Mr. Hutchinson.[4] But Savary, a French physician, on repeating these experiments, could remark nothing more than a faint flat taste and slight salivation;[5] and Mr. Gaitskell could not remark any constitutional effect at all.[6] Sometimes it has appeared to cause severe symptoms of irritant poisoning when used in the form of ointment to excite a pustular eruption. An instance of this has been described in a late French Journal.[7] Nay, in the Medical Repository there is a case, in which the external use of tartar-emetic ointment is supposed to have been the cause of death. The subject was an infant, two years old, who, soon after having the spine rubbed with this ointment, was seized with great sickness and frequent fainting, which in forty-eight hours proved fatal.[8] Considering the numerous opportunities which medical men have had of witnessing the effects of tartar-emetic applied in the same manner, and that these are solitary cases, doubts may be entertained whether the irritant symptoms in the one case, or the child's death in the other, were occasioned in the way supposed.
Although the constitutional action of tartar-emetic is not easily developed through the sound skin, its local effects are severe and unequivocal. When applied to the skin it does not corrode, but
