V  ^  ^ "*- 
 
t
1
*if* '•■ 
           RECOMMENDATION.
  i
  BEING requested to  give our opinion of the  merits of Di
Magexdte's writings on the Prussic  Acid, we state, that, in our
\ie\v, his researches  are very valuable, and  worthy of bein;;
repeated  and extended ; and that his account of his own experi-
ments, anil of those of other enlightened physicians  in various
countries, is perspicuous, and bears every mark of accuracy and
faithfulness,
                       ELI IVES, Professor
                         of Materia Medica and Botany—
                         Yale College.
                       BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, Professor
                         of Chemistry, Pharmacy, Mineralogy
                         and Geobgy:—Yale College.
     Vew-TiAvew, June 16.1820. 
PHYSIOLOGICAL
ON THE BSE OF THE PRUSSIC OR HYDRO-CYANIC ACID IN -

   THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES OF THE BREAST,   M

          AND  PARTICULARLY  IN • '

     PHTHISIS  PULMONAMSji,



        BY F. MAGENDIE, M. D. &c.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FREJVCH, WITH NOTES, &C,

     BY JAMES G. KERUVAL,  M. D.

■:.--'ir.U«i-
MEW-H%VEN:
PUBLISHED BY HOWB & SPALDING, AND

      A. H. MALTBY & CO.
1820. 
    District of Connecticut, ss.
                BE IT REMEMBERED; that on the seven-
              teenth day of April in the forty fourth year of the
              independence of the  United States  of America,
              JAMES G. PERCIVAL of the said District hath
              deposited iu this office  the  title of  a  Book, the
right whereof he claims as proprietor in the words  followiug, to
wit, " Physiological and Chemical Researches on the use of the
prussic or hydrocianic acid in the treatment of diseases of the
breast and particularly in Phthisis Pulmonalis ; by  F. Magendie,
M. D. &c. translated from the French, with notes &c. by James
G.Percival, M.  D,"
  In conformity to the act of the Congress  of the United States,
entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by  securing
the copies of Maps, Charts and  Books, to  the authors and pro-
prietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned."
                     CHAS. A. INGERSOLL,
                       Clerk of the District of Connecticut.
  A true copy of Record, examined and sealed  by me,
CHAS. A. INGERSOLL, C7erfc of the District of Connecticut.
A. H. MALTBY & CO. PRINT. 
PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR.
   Senac, the illustrious author of the Trea-
tise on  the structure of the heart, says, in
the preface to his admirable work, that med-
icine is a subject of delirium to most minds.
Undoubtedly this learned physician meant
to designate by  this energetic  phrase the
strange, but general mania, of reasoning on
medicine without having acquired the first
notions of it;—But  he meant above all to
point out that other mania no less singular
but  much more dangerous,  according  to
which a physician should be  a stranger to
anatomy, and  physiology, should  neglect
physics, chemistry, and  the other natural
sciences, and devote-himself entirely to prac-
tice.  This is almost like advising a blind-
man  to look well at  objects to acquire in-
struction,                            y
   Is he not indeed blind who in approaching
a patient, knows neither the structure of the
body, nor the play of the organs, nor their
material alterations;  who is ignorant of the
influence  of  physical agents on life, or per-
haps even of the-existence of these agents ,
who is no better informed about the chem-
ical nature, and the physiological properties
of the medicines which he employs ?  With
no other merit but a stupid routine, masked 
IV.
 under the name of experience, he will have
 no means of perceiving the morbid phenom-
 ena  which  may pass before him, and what
 he shall be able to see will be equally with-
 in the reach of the vulgar.
   This madness which  Senac combated  in
 his lime by his example and  his writings, is
 far from being entirely  eradicated ; many
 persons, otherwise very respectable, share it
 still, some recent  publications consecrate it,
 certain schools resound with it, and its con-
 sequences, so  favourable to idleness  and
 pedantry, are received with eagerness by the
 multitude.   It is however this  absurdity
 which has always opposed the progress of
 medicine, which rejected for thirty years the
 discovery  of the  circulation  of the  blood,
 which made the  Parliament  condemn tar-
tar emetic, and which long denied the feb-
 frifo^e virtue of cinchona ; which at this mo-
 ment declaims against the utility of physio-
 logical experiments  and  the  rational  and
 restricted application of chemistry  to medi-
 cine,  and  would even bring' us back to the
treatment of diseases'by amulets, talismans,
 and magic words, for many diseases might
 be cured as well by these ridiculous means,
 as by some others now  in favour.
   All those who are interested in the happi-
 ness of man, and the  progress  of knowledge,
should strive to eradicate this  pernicious er-
ror.   We  cannot  do  it by reasoning alone;
 for what effect can  the  most severe logic 
V.
have  on prejudiced  understandings ?  But
we ought to attack it by facts and material
proofs which in time undermine and destroy
the strongest prejudices.
   My researches on tarter emetic, emetine
and the  salts of morphine ;  those which I
have attempted on vomiting, the gravel, &c.
have been made with this view.
   The new  labour which I offer to the pub-
lic has been undertaken  with the same in-
tention.
           ADVERTISEMENT.

  The first  part  of  these researches was
translated in 1817, by Dr. Granville of Lon-
don, and published in the Journal of Sci-
ence and the Arts, No.  VIII.  The remain-
der has been  recently published at  Paris,
and is now, so far as is here known, first giv-
en in an English dress.   In addition a short
introduction is given,  containing  a  brief
sketch of the history of the acid, and some
notes added in an appendix, chiefly relative
to the employment 01 the article as a  medi-
cine in the United States.
    New-Have.v, May, 18, 1820. 
^'PRODUCTION by the translator.
  The prussic acid, although originally ob-
tained by certain chemical processes  from
blood,  has  since been detected in  several
vegetable substances, particularly  the bark,
leaves and flowers of the prunus lauro-ceras-
sus and other species of the same genus, in
those of the peach and almond, in the kernels
of the bitter almond and the  peach, and in
all the bitter kernels of the drupaceous fruits,
:n the pips of apples, &c.  The odour of the
prussic acid,  prepared after the method of
Scheele,  was observed to resemble that of
peach  blossoms and laurel-water.  Led by
this indication, Bohn detected this acid in the
distilled water of bitter almonds : Schroeder
detected it in laurel water, by pouring this
water on a salt of iron, then  adding a few
drops of  an alkali, and any acid, except the
nitric or nitro-muriatic ; a blue precipitate of
prussiate of iron was thrown down.
   The peculiar properties of this acid in re-
lation to the living body, were first observ-
ed in the laurel  water.  In 1733, Dr.  Mad-
den  of Dublin, published in the Philosoph-
ical  Transactions, the account of two wo-
men who were poisoned by it in  1728 ; one
of them, who took two drams in an hour, lost
 the  use of speech, felt a pain in her stomach, 
vii.
and expired without vomiting, stools, or con-
vulsions ;  the  other  took two table spoon-
fulls, she sat down in a chair, still icon vers-'
ing rationally  and died  immediately after,
without convulsons  or any other apparent
commotion.  Dr. Madden  also mentions; a
young man, who died in  a few minutes after
having drank part of a vial of  distilled  laurel
water; he experienced severe  pains  in the.
stomach.   Influenced by these striking facts,
many  physiologists engaged  in experiment-
ing with the laurel-water on animals.   A-
mong the most distinguished  of these exper-
imenters,  were Brown-Langrish and Fonta-
na, and recently  Orfila.  The effects  obser-
ved after  administering  it  were  vomitings,
languor, convulsions, and tetanic stiffness of
the  muscles,   the   breathing  accelerated,
sometimes acute plaintive cries, the senses
at first undisturbed, but the sight and hear-
ing gradually diminished till death.  On dis-
section the veins were found injected and
the arteries empty.   These effects were pro-
duced by introducing it into the stomach
or rectum, and with the essential oil, pre-
pared by dry distillation,  Fontana destroyed
rabbits, pigeons, frogs, &c. by administering
three or four drops internally, or merely ap-
plying it to the mouth, the eye,  or a fresh
wound. It induced immediate paralysis, and
death in half a minute.
   After the resemblance in odour between
the laurel-water and the prussic acid had 
VIII.
 been observed,  and particularly after  the
 acid had been detected  in the laurel water,
 physiologists employed the acid in the same
 course of experiments on animals, and with
 similar results.  Given  to dogs, in  doses of
 two to sixteen drops, it produced staggeripg,
 vomiting, cough, salivation, weakness of the
 posterior extremities, opisthotonos, dilatation
 of the pupil, general stiffness, complete par-
 alysis, accelerated pulse, convulsions of the
 eyes, subsultus tendinum.   Sometimes, af-
 ter  these effects, they recovered, but a large
 dose produced immediate convulsions and
 death, hi very large doses, death took  place
 instantaneously, but  attended  with  tetanic
 contraction  of the  muscles.  The smaller
 doses of the acid and laurel water were ob-
 served to produce more violent convulsions,
 and the larger, instant paralysis and death.
 Powerful as these substances were found to
 be,  another still more deleterious has  been
 discovered : This is the  pure prussic acid of
 Gay-Lussac, that of Scheele being largely
diluted with water.   For the effects  produ-
 ced by the pure acid, I refer to the memoir
itself.  I  shall only observe, that Professor
 Scharinger, of Vienna, applied a quantity of
the  pure acid to his  naked arm and died soon
after.   I  will  conclude this brief sketch of
the  deleterious properties  of prussic  acid,
and those  substances containing it, by giv-
ing  the conclusions of  Orfila, derived from 
IX.
his own experiments and the observations of
others:
   1st. Prussic acid is hurtful to the different
classes of animals, more to those which have
warm blood than to  the others.
   2d. It produces death  so  much the  more
rapidly, as the circulation is  more active, and
as the organs of respiration are more exten-
sive.
   3d. It is more pernicious  to young anim-
als than to others.
   4th. It exerts its action on  whatever tex-
ture it may be  brought in contact with, the
nerves and dura mater excepted.
   5th. The intensity of action varies accor-
ding  to the part to which it  is applied; it is
extremely deleterious when  injected into the
jugular  vein,  or into  the  trachea;  less so
when injected into  the  thorax ; still less so
when introduced into the stomach  or rec-
tum,  and  weaker still  when  applied to
wounds; but death takes place sooner  vihen
the wound has been made  in  the  anterior
limbs.
   6th. If the dose has  not been sufficiently
strong to  cause  death, the  animal recovers
very speedily, more  especially if the poison
has been brought in  contact with the eye or
the stomach.
   7th. Its effects depend on its being absor-
bed and carried into the circulation.
   8th. Its action  is retarded, but not suspen-
ded,  when it  is  brought in contact  with  a 
X.
part, which no longer communicates with
the brain or spinal marrow.
  9th.  It appears to act on the human spe-
cies, as on  warm blooded animals.
  10th. It destroys the irritability, and ought
to be classed .among the narcotics.
  11th. It  does not  produce any inflamma-
tory lesion  capable  of being demonstrated
after death  ; the venous system appears dis-
tended, the arteries  empty, the pupils  often
dilated, the lungs spotted ; alterations.com-
mon to a great number of the narcotics.  In
some cases of death by  laurel-water and
bitter almonds, the stomach was found slight-
ly inflamed.
  Although the prussic acid was first introdu-
ced into Medicine by Magendie, the laurel
water and the  other substances  containing
it had been long sirtce employed in practice.
The laurel-water has been used in  some
cases of phthisis pulmonalis, it is said, with
advantage.   It  has  been also employed in
obstructions of the  liver1 and  schirrosities.
It is said in  small doses to give tone to the
stomach and eihilerate.   Mayer, of Naples,
employed it in virulent gonorhea ; and its ef-
ficacy in-lhis complaint has been tested, ac-
cording to  Thatcher, by an American cap-
tain, on his crew.   Professor Wurzer found
it useful in  hypochondriasis and nervous af-
fections; in  the dose of fifty drops three  times
a day.  It  has been recommended by some
German authors in  hydrophobia.  It is said 
XI.
in these cases to retard the pulse, and dimin-
ish the irritability.  The bruised leaves have
been found useful as  an emollient  external
application to painful  tumours and ulcers.
   Brown  Langrish observes, that the laurel
leaves had been  employed  in his neighbor-
hood in the cure of intermittents.  This ob-
servation  is in  some  measure confirmed by
the efficacy of the bark of the prunus virgin-
iana in this disease.   The mode of adminis-
tering it, pointed out by him, was to give as
much of the  powdered leaves  as would lie
on a shilling,  in a glass of white wine, two
hours before the fit, repeating it three times.
Bergius asserts, that bitter almonds are very
efficacious in the cure of intermittents.  He
gave  them  in the following way; R. solu-
ble tartar 1  dr.  honey 1. oz.  diffuse  them
in a pound  of water, make with this  water
an emulsion with an ounce of bitter almonds,
of this emulsion give during the intermission
a pound or two every day ; with this he cured
the disease in some instances,  and in others
 found it  a useful auxiliary to the bark, in
 some  cases even, which had resisted the use
 of the bark, he had seen this emulsion suc-
 ceed in affecting a cure.
   The prunus virginiana possesses similar
 properties in  a  very  considerable degree.
 The distilled water of its bark and leaves is
 very poisonous, and the fruit is said to  intox-
 icate birds;  even brandy, in which this fruit
 has been infused, is said, in a quantity insuf- 
XII.
 ficient to intoxicate, to produce narcotic ef-
 fects, such as languor, vertigo, nausea.  The
 bark, particularly of the root, has been much
 used in medicine ; it has been highly praised
 in the cure of intermittents.  In pulmonary
 consumption it has been found useful by Dr.
 Chapman, in palliating the symptoms of hec-
 tic, relieving the cough, restraining the diarr-
 hea, abating the sweats and increasing the
 general vigour  of the system.   It  has been
 found  useful also in cases of  hectic from
 other causes, particularly psoas  abscess.   It
 has afforded relief in asthma and dyspepsia,
 and  is said to  have been useful in  chronic
 dysentery, diarrhea  and  cholera infantum.
   From the  observations just related, it ap-
 pears, that the  lauro-cerasus, the  bitter al-
 mond, and our own prunus virginiana, pos-
 sess similar properties, and have been found
 useful  in  similar diseases, with the  prussic
 acid.   Experiments have shewn, that they
 all contain this  acid, and it is no little con-
 firmation  of the truth  of the  observations
 contained in this  work,  that those  natural
substances,  in  which the acid  is known to
exist, should have been  found  useful in the
diseases,  in  which  M.  Magendie and  his
friends have  employed this  interesting  ar-
ticle with so much advantage.

     Preparation of the  Prussic Acid.
  There are two methods of preparing  this
 acid which have principally attracted the 
xm.
attention of chemists,  that of Scheele,  and
that, of Gay-Lussac.   Scheele discovered
the  acid  in  1780: he prepared it  from the
prussiate  of iron, which  may  be  procured
in the shops, or prepared after the  following
method ; take three parts of blood evaporated
to dryness in an  iron dish, and mix it with
one part  subcarbonate of potash;  calcine
them  in  a  crucible, which  should be only
two thirds filled by the materials and  cover-
ed with a lid ; the calcination must be con-
tinued with  a moderate heat as long as a
blue flame  issues from the crucible,  and
when  itv becomes faint and likely to  be ex-
tinguished,  the  process  must  be stopped;
throw the mass when cold into ten or twelve
parts of water ; allow it to soak a few hours
and then boil them together in an iron kettle;
filter the  liquor  and continue pouring hot
water on the mass as long as  it  acquires any
taste ; to this solution, add one  composed of
two parts of alum, and one of sulphate of iron,
in eight or ten of boiling water, and contin-
ue the mixture as long as any effervessence
and precipitation ensues; wash the precipi-
tate several  times with  boiling  water; it
will have a green colour, but on the addition
of a quantity of muriatic acid, equal to twice
that of the sulphate of iron which has been
used, it will assume a-beautiful  blue colour ;
wash it again with water and dry  it with a
gentle heat; this is the prussian blue or a mix-
ture of prussiate of iron with alumine: from
                      B 
XIV.
this prussiate of iron the acid may be  pre-
pared by  the  process of Scheele in the fol-
lowing manner: mix two ounces of red oxyd
of mercury, prepared  by  nitric acid,  with
four  ounces finely powdered  prussian  blue
and  boil  the  mixture  with  twelve ounces
of water in a glass vessel, shaking it frequent-
ly. Filter the solution, which is one of prussi-
ate of mercury, and white lead, and when cool
add to it in a bottle, two ounces of iron fil-
ings, and six or seven drachms of sulphuric
acid ;  shake them together, decant the clear
liquor into a retort, and distill off one fourth
of the  liquor,  The distilled liquor is the
prussic acid very considerably diluted  with
water.   It has a sweetish taste, a smell like
bitter  almonds, does not redden vegetable
blues, has not a strong  affinity  for alkalies,
nor does it take them from carbonic acid ; no
effervessence arises on adding it to a solution
of alkaline carbonates  ; it  readily combines
with pure  alkalies,  destroys their alkaline
properties, and  forms  chrystallizable salts ;
trnese salts are decomposed by exposure  to
carbonic acid, even when highly diluted,  as
in atmospheric air.
           Gay Lussac's Process.
  Form  prussiate of mercury by digesting
prussiate of iron four ounces with red oxyd of
mercury two  ounces ; this prussiate is de-
composed by muriatic  acid.   Apparatus—a
tubulated retort with a  horizontal tube 2 feet 
XV.
long luted to it; the first third  of this tube
contains pieces of white marble,  to detain
the muriatic acid, should any distill over, and
the remaining two thirds contain fragments
of fused muriate of lime to retain the aque-
ous vapor : a small receiver is adapted, sur-
roundcd with a freezing mixture or with  ice*:
strong muriatic acid is used, and rather less
than is wanted to decompose the prussiate
of mercury ; the prussic acid commonly  con-
denses first on the marble : thence  it is driv-
en by a moderate heat and allowed to collect
on the muriate of lime, whence it is dislodg-
ed again by heat  and collected in  the re-
ceiver.
   Thus obtained, it is pure and  free from
water;it is a colourless liquid,  highly ado-
rant ;  taste at  first  cooling, then burning;
highly sedative and poisonous ; it boils at
81i°, freezes at 3°, and chrystalizes regular-
ly ; it congeals even at 68°  by its own evap-
oration ; though  repeatedly rectified  from
marble it feebly reddens litmus,  and the col-
or is restored as it evaporates ; it is very lia-
ble to decomposition, even when  kept in  ves-
sels  hermetically  sealed ;  it sometimes de-
composes in one day, and can rarely be kept
over fifteen ;—it becomes reddish brown, and
if the vessel be not perfectly tight, eventual-
ly leaves only a charry mass.  This great
tendency to decomposition,  renders it much
less dangerous  as  a  poison in the  hands of
the ill-designing, than it would be if it were
permanent. 
«- 
RESEARCHES
COT THE PRUSSIC ACID, PRESENTED TO THE ACADEMY OS

  SCIENCES, NOV. 17, 1817—TRANSLATED FOR THE JOURNAL

  OF SCIENCE AND THE ARTS, BY DR. GRANVILLE.
   PHYSIOLOGICAL  experiments are of
the  utmost importance  in  the  practice of
medicine.   It is by means of them, tiiat sub-
stances used as medicines on mere hypothet-
ical principles are justly rejected, and the re-
ally active  remedies better known,  or more
beneficially employed, by varying their pro-
portions and mode of administration.   An-
other great advantage resulting from physio-
logical experiments, is the discovery of new
remedies, which the physician  is  enabled to
make by their assistance, and by directing
his attention to substances already  known,
but either neglected or seldom used, as well
as to those preparations which modern chem-
istry is  daily bringing before us,  and which,
in the hand of an able and experienced prac-
titioner,  may become particularly useful to
mankind.
   It was on account of this firm  persuasion,
that I have ventured, at different periods, to
call the  attention of the Royal  Academy of
Sciences to  the poisonous  and medicinal
qealities of the Upas tieute, the nux vomica,
the supertartrate of antimony and potash, and
                   b2 
18
the ipecacuanha.  The favourable reception
which  my researches have met with,  have
encouraged  me  to proceed  farther, and I
shall have the honour this day of laying be-
fore the Academy the result of  my enquires
respecting the action of the prussic or hydro-
cyanic acid on the animal  system, and the
good effects which may  be  derived from it
in the treatment  of several diseases.
   The prussic acid, discovered in 1780  by
Scheele, was soon after  reckoned amongst
the poisonous substances ; an opinion which
was  confirmed  by the experiments made,
both in Germany and France, by Messrs.
Coulon, Emmert, Robert, Orfila, &c.—From
their experiments, and from some which are
peculiarly my own, it results  1st, that the
prussic acid, whether liquid or in the state of
vapour, is injurious to the life of all animals,
and in many cases to that of vegetables ; 2d.
that death  produced  by this  acid is much
more instantaneous, from the circulation be-
coming more rapid, and the lungs more dis-
tended ; 3d. that  it acts on warm blooded an-
imals by destroying ther  sensibility and the
contractility of  the voluntary  muscles ; and
would act  in a  similar manner on  man,
where the  dose  given is greater than  what
will be hereafter mentioned.
   It cannot be  denied, therefore, that the
prussic acid is a very active  poison ; and yet
all the experiments I have just now alluded
to, have been made with the prussic acid of 
19
Scheele,  which contained a very considera-
ble quantity of water, and was consequently
very weak.  From  this circumstance it will
be easy to conceive, that the effects  of  the
pure  acid, prepared according to Gay Lus-
sac's directions, must  needs be  much more
energetic.   Its activity,  indeed, is really
frightful, even to those who are accustomed
to witness the effects of poison.   Of this  the
Academy shall judge by the following facts.
   Experiment 1. The  extremity of a glass
tube  which  had been previously dipped into
a phial containing  some pure prussic acid,*
was immediately plunged into the throat of
a strong dog.   The tube had scarcely come
in contact with the tongue, than the  animal
made two or  three long and rapid  inspira-
tions, and fell dead.  No method we could
devise enabled us, afterward, to  trace  the
smallest sign of sensibility in  the muscular
organs of this animal after death.f
   Experiment 2. An atom of  the acid was
applied to the eye of another strong dog; the
effects were as sudden and as fatal as in the
preceding experiment.

 * In performing (his experiment, it is better to employ the acid
diluted with a certain quantity of alcohol, particularly if the tem-
perature of the atmosphere is elevated ; otherwise the evapora-
tion is $o speedy, that the tube becomes dry before it reaches
the animal.
  t Since I read this memoir to the academy, I have often seen
traces of feeble irritability in animals, which had been poisoned
by the pure prussic acid. 
                   20

  Experiment 3. A drop of  the acid diluted
with four drops of alcahol, were injected into
the jugular vein of a third dog.   The animal
fell dead that instant, as if struck by a can-
non shot or by lightning.
  In short, the  pure prussic acid,  prepared
according to M. Gay  Lussac,  is  without
doubt, of all the known poisons, the most ac-
tive and  the most promptly mortal.  Its de-
leterious and powerful influence permits us
to believe, what the historians  have related
of the criminal talent of Laucustus ; and ren-
ders the accounts of those extraordinary and
sudden cases of poisoning, so frequent in the
annals of Italy,  less marvellous and incredi-
ble.
   I must not omit to say likewise, for  the
sake of  those  who  should  feel disposed to
make experiments with  this substance, that
the utmost caution is necessary ; as it  is im-
possible to breathe its vapour without feeling
the the most dangerous effects.  Owing to
some neglect on our part, in this respect, we
have at one time experienced the most ex-
cruciating pain in the chest, accompanied by
a feeling of insupportable oppression,  which
lasted some  hours.
   It might appear from all this that the pure
prussic acid in the hands  of one  intent on
murder, would become the instrument  of
 crime, without fear  of detection; but  the
 public may make themselves easy on  that
score.   More  nicety of "manipulation, and 
21
dexterity in  the  operations of chemistry is
required to  procure this acid, than falls to
the lot of common people;  and even  when
properly prepared, it is almost impossible to
preserve it in its state of purity,  as I have
ascertained  by direct experiment.   It is
spontaneously decomposed  at the ordinary
temperature  of the  atmosphere, and then
looses,  in a  short time, all its  obnoxious
qualities.  Besides, though the prussic acid
produces death, without any visible altera-
tion of the animal organs, it is easy to detect
a case of poisoning by it:  for the body will
exhale, during several days, a strong smell of
bitter almonds.
  Poisonous  as it is, there is no  doubt but
that the prussic acid may, when properly di-
luted with water, be used as a medicine with
safety.   We know from  the experiments
which Mons.  Coulon made on himself, that
it may  be given to the dose of sixty drops
without producing any very serious inconve-
niance.  Besides  the pretty  frequent  use
made in medicine #f the laurel water, in
which the  prussic acid enters as a compo-
nent principle,  proves  that it may be intro-
duced into the stomach when properly dilu-
ted.   Nothing, therefore, shows any impro-
priety in its use as a remedy; a circumstance
which has already induced some French and
Italian physicians to give it in various  disor-
ders.   If their success has not been equal to
their expectations, it is because they did not 
22
 seem sufficiently aware of its mode of action
 on  the  animal economy: and  without this
 knowledge it is impossible to make a right
 use of any new remedy whatever.
   In studying  the phenomina of poisoning
 by prussic acid, I have often observed, that
 animals, in which no trace of sensibility, or
 muscular  contractility could be found, would
 often continue to breathe for several  hours
 freely, while their circulation, though  much
 accelerated, remained apparently unaltered.
 These animals  indeed might have been said
 to be dead with regard to their external func-
 tions, yet  still enjoying life, through their nu-
 tritive faculties.
   This  property of extinguishing the general
 sensibility without any  ostensible injury to
 the respiration  and circulation, the two prin-
 cipal functions of life, induced  me first to
* believe  that the prussic acid might be advan-
 tageously  used  in cases  where  the disease
 seemed to owe  its origin to  a vicious aug-
 mentation of sensibility.   From that mo-
 ment I determined to «se it whenever any
 such case  should offer itself to my attention.
   About three years  ago I was  consulted in
 behalf of a young; lady aged 27,  who for  the
 space of eighteen months had been distress-
 ed  by a  dry short cough,  which became
 stronger in the  evening and in the morning.
 Alarmed at these symptoms, which seemed
 to indicate an affection of the lungs,  her
 friends  took  the  advice of several of  the 
23
most  distinguished medical practitioners of
the capital, who all prescribed the usual rem-
edies in such cases, but without success.   I
ordered her  six drops of Scheele's prussic
acid,  prepared by  Pelletier,  diluted with
three ounces of vegetable  infusion ; to  be
taken by spoonfuls  every two hours.  The
following day the cough had considerably
diminished,  and it disappeared entirely  on
the fourth.
   The  cough however having made once
more its appearance six months afterward, I
repeated the same  remedy with  an equal
success.
   Since then I have had repeated opportu-
nities, but chiefly with young ladies, to  em-
ploy the prusic acid in cases of nervous and
chronic coughs: and have always  obtained
the greatest success, without having obser-
ved any inconvenience from it.  In  no case
have  I gone beyond the dose of ten drops
taken at intervals during twenty-four hours,
and diluting it with several ounces of some
fluid vehicle.
   Very lately I have succeeded in calming
by this same means a convulsive cough, with
which an elderly lady of a nervous tempera-
ment had been greatly affected, and which
for six days previous to my seeing  her, had
come on by  alarming  fits,  depriving her  of
all rest.  I was so much the more willing to
adopt in this  case the use of prussic acid,  as
the patient could take neither opium nor any 
24
 preparation of popies without being grievous
 \y incommoded.
    After thus having ascertained the efficacy
 of the prussic acid in the treatment of dry
 convulsive cough, 1 thought it was indispen-
 sable for me  to  inquire whether the same
 means might not be employed with success
 to combat the cough and other  symptoms
 which overpower the unhappy consumptive
 —and  whether it  would not influence, or
 even suspend,  the  progress of pulmonary
 consumption.
   The result of my trials has been favourable
 with regard to the first of these conjectures;
 and on fifteen persons, offected withphthysis,
 who had been placed under my care  for the
 last three years, I have constantly found that
 the use of the prussic acid, given in small
 but repeated doses, diminished the frequen-
 cy of the cough, moderated, and rendered
 more easy the expectoration, and lastly,  pro-
 cured the patients some sleep at night with-
 out  any colliquative sweats.   Those  who
 are accustomed to follow the march and  pro-
 gress of phthysis, and witness the  sufferings
 without number by which individuals attack-
 ed by this terrible malady are overpowered,
will easily appreciate the real benefit of this
success.
  Since the beginning  of the month of  Au-
gust last to this day (November) I  have  had
many opportunities of studying the effects of
prussic acid on a great number  of phthisical 
25
patients at the hospital of la Charite.   Mons.
Lermiuier, physician  to that hospital," in
which such diseases  are  very frequent, has,
at my request, agreed to administer the prus-
sic acid in about twenty pases, at the dose of
four drops properly diluted with water.
,.  Tne  greater number have shown evident
si^ns  of emelioration, and some seem  much
better, at this  moment.'  'flie  cough is con-
siderably . diminished.    The  expectoration
h:is become easy, and sleep came to shorten
their  sufferings.  These  improvements be-
came more  evident, where the disease was
in an incipient state ; a circumstance which
is not difficult to explain, when it  is consid-
ered,  that the lungs are  in a state of disorgan-
ization, in the  second, and above all, in the
third stage of consumption.
   Yet as I wish to state merely, in  this place,
the exact effects of the  prussic acid, I must
avow that amongst the  patients of la Charite'
who have  used it, some,  whose disease was
neai  its end, did not derive any very  sensible
benefit from it; and that in two instances, in
which the patients had taken the acid at too
short  intervals,  experienced some headach,
and a kind  of vertigo,  which  lasted  some
seconds.;  In a third  case it was feared that
the acid had proved injurious.
   A young man aged 29  was admitted into
the hospital towards the  end of September
last with all  the symptoms of a  confirmed

                    C 
26
pthysis.*  The acid was given in the dose of
six drops only.   The cough  diminished the
second day; but  the oppression increased ;
the third day it became suffocating,  though
the acid had been discontinued the preced-
ing day ; and the patient fell into a sort of in-
sensibility which terminated in a few hours
in death.  This could not have failed to raise
some suspicions  against  the remedy, if the
examination post mortem  had  not clearly
shown,  that the  fatal termination of the mal-
ady  was owing  to an immense quantity of
serous fluid found in the left side of the  tho-
rax ;the heart being thrown to the right, and
touching the ribs of that side.  Neither  the
stomach nor the  body exhaled any prussic
smell.   The disease in this  case was in  its
second stage ; but it was evidently   not  the
principal disease by which  the patient was
affected, a circumstance which will account
for the  absence of all sort of beneficial results
from the prussic acid.
   In my private practice I  never  observed
any bad effect to result from the action of the
 prusic  acid given as  I directed, which may
 be accounted  for by considering the great
care and attention which a patient in the bo-
 som of his family receives at every moment;
   * Contrary to the established practice of Mons. Lerminier, the
 chest wa= not explored by means ©f percussion, as generally done
 with all the patients who enter  at la Charite. This prevented
 the discovery of an old ioflamalion of the pleura which affected
 the left side of the chest. 
2/
the case being necessarily different in regard
to patients in even the best regulated hospit-
als.
  From all that precedes I think I arn war-
ranted in concluding  that the prussic acid,
given in  small  doses, mixed with a  certain
quantity of  water,  may  be advantngeously
employed as a palliative  treatment of con-
sumption, with a view of calming the cough,
facilitating the  expectoration,  and procuring
sleep ; and that as such it must be  consider-
ed as the first among  the substances usually
employed for similar purposes  ; as it does not
seem to excite, like the opiates, any colliqua-
tive sweat.
  It still remains to inquire, whether by the
assistance of the prussic acid and of its mar-
vellous activity, we might not hope to render
the march of phthisis more slow, and even to
cure it.  But these questions,  in themselves
so  important on account  of  the  too  fatal
prevalence of the malady, cannot be decided
by a small number of facts  and experiments.
they ought, on the contrary to be multiplied
as much as possible, taking at  the same time
into  consideration  all the   circumstances
which might influence the results ; and dives-
ting ourselves of all sort of prejudice.
  I am continuing my experiments  on this
subject, conjointly with M.  Lerminier, at the
hospital of la Charite, where, from twenty to
thirty consumptive patients are habitually re-
ceived ; and I am in hopes  to lay before the 
28
academy, in the course of the  next year,
S(;mu facts worthy of their attention.
  Some may consider it as a mark of temeri-
ty in me to suppose that  phthisis may be
cured, when so many very eminent authors
look upon it as absolutely mortal.  But  ad-
mitting that  pthysis be incurable, with refer-
ence to all the substances hitherto employed,
and the experiments hitherto made  for that
purpose in the true spirit of truth and inves-
tigation, the same mode of reasoning can-
not  hold good with regard to new substances,
remarkable for the energy of their action on
the  animal economy: besides, ought not the
physician to direct his attention to the cure
of such diseases as pthysis, cancer, &c. in pre-
ference to merely varying the  treatment of
such diseases  as, from peculiar circumstan-
ces  and their nature, terminate always hap-
pily, whatever be the remedy  suggested by
fashion or caprice ?
  I  shall  now relate two cases in which there
is reason  to presume that pthysis  was check-
ed in its progress by the use of prussic acid.
                CASE I.

  A lady  from Lyons, now residing in Paris,
of a constitution eminently bilious, after hav-
ing  experienced  several misfortunes, was in
1814, attacked by all the symptoms which
characterize phthisis in its first stage.   Cir-
cumstances  not allowing her to attend to her
health, she neglected it until within the first 
29
 months  of 1815, when the disease having
 made great progress, she  consulted me: 1
 found her labouring under all the symptoms
 of the second stage of tuberculous consump-
 tion, with a cough returning incessantly, and
 a slow continued fever preying upon her and
 undermining  her existence.   The prussic
 acid was  recommended, and taken at the
 dose of from six to ten drops  in twenty-four
 hours, diluted.  This acid had been prepar-
 ed by Mons.  Planche, by  a new process
 which I shall hereafter describe.  The rem-
 edy was continued  for about two  months.
 From the first  day the cough diminished, the
 patient slept,  and without pushing the dose
 higher than ten drops in the 24 hours, all the
 symptoms  of the disease disappeared,  the
 breathing became natural, the cough, expec-
 toration, and sweats ceased.  In short  the
 lady  was perfectly  cured,  and has never
 since experienced any symptoms  wfiicli  in-
 dicate the  least  disposition to  a  relapse.
 Her lungs, only, have become very sensible
 to the influence of atmospherical variations.1
   Must we conclude from this fact, that a
 consumption in  its  second stage has been
 cured by the prussic acid ?   I  am far from
 thinking so ; for I know with how much re-
 serve we ought to draw any general and pos-
itive conclusion.  Yet such as it is, and with
 all the importance  attached to it, I submit
the case to the practitioners, who take an in-
terest in the progress of science. 
30
                 CASE II.
   An English lady aged 28, tall, and of a
weak constitution, with a chest transversely
ample, but narrow, was frequently subject to
colds from  her infancy.   Last year,  while
crossing over from France to England,  she
was attacked by an inflammation of the lungs,
with acute pain of the left side of the thorax,
and spitting of blood.  Bleeding, blisters,
and all the means  usually adopted in such ca-
ses, were had recourse to, and she got well ;
but she continued to suffer from  a short dry
cough, of no great intensity  during the day,
but which became greatly exasperated in the
night.  Several means were employed  in
England to check it, with  no success.  Be-
lieving that the  climate of France might
prove more beneficial to her  health, she  re-
turned to Paris about  four months ago.   In
spite of the fineness of the season, and resi-
dence in the country, the cough made con-
siderable progress ; she became uneasy and
alarmed ; and I was sent for about the middle
of September last; when after a mature  ex-
amination of all the preceding circumstan-
ces and her actual state, I did not hessitate
in  considering her as  labouring under  the
first stage  of pulmonary  consumption.   I
prescribed the prussic  acid, prepared  by M.
rlanche, in the dose of 8 drops in three oun-
ces of water in 24 hours.   Srie has continu-
ed it ever since, and is at this day taking it. 
ol
Her cough has nearly  vanished altogether;
she has gained consideiable embonpoint; and
she considers herself at this moment as quite
recovered.
   Far be it, from me to suppose that this  is
another instance of pulmonary consumption
cured by the prussic acid.  Yet it must be
confessed that if examples like the two pre-
ceding ones were to become uumerous, noth-
ing could then prevent us from hoping, that
we may at last have found a substance capa-
ble of arresting the progress  of one of the
most desolating maladies by which humani-
ty is afflicted.
   I shall conclude with a few words on the
mode of preparing the prussic acid.   If it be
prepared in the way directed  by Scheele, we
run the chance of obtaining it at various de-
grees  of  concentration—a   circumstance
which ought by all means to be avoided.  M.
Planche, one of the most distinguished phar-
macists of Paris, follows a method which ren-
ders its preparation less uncertain."" Instead
of drawing one fourth of the produce by dis-
tillation, as the illustrious Swedish  chemist
first suggested, he stops the operation as soon
as «  of the produce has passed into the re-
ceiver.   He next rectifies the liquid thus ob-
tained by means of a gentle fire, over 270  of
carbonate of lime, and draws off I only of the
whole by distillation.                    j
  Thus prepared, the prussic acid is certain-
ly far from possessing  the activity  of that 
32
 prepared by Gay-Lussac : but it  has more
 energy than that of Scheele, and above all,
 it has an invariable energy ; since, according
 to M. Planche, it is always at the  same de-
 gree of  concentration.   It also  affords one
 other advantage, that of being susceptible of
 preservation, if kept in a  cool place, equally
 removed from the influence of air and light.
   I have also employed  in many cases the
 acid prepared according  to Scheele's meth-
 od, and have not been struck with any differ-
 ence in  its action, (such as  the theory of
 chemical doctrine seems to suggest) whenev-
 er I have taken care to get it at the houses
 of our best chemists.
  The observations in this Paper are,
  1st.  That the pure prussic  acid is  a sub-
 stance eminently  deleterious,  and altogether
 unfit to be used as a medicine.
  2dly. That the prussic acid diluted with
 water is  beneficial  in cases of chronic and
 nervous cough.
  3dly. That this same acid may be   useful
 in the paliative^trtatment of phthisis, by di-
 minishing the intensity and frequency of the
 cough and in procuring sleep, &c.
  4thly.  That there is reason to hope that
 this same substance may become advantage-
 ous, as a curative treatment of  pulmonary
phthisis,  particularly when in an incipient
State. 
33
  It was my  earnest  desire, in publishing
these researches nearly three years since, to
draw the attention of practitioners to a sub-
ject which appeared to me worthy their con?-
sideration.  My desires have been gratified
beyond my expectations.   The  faculty of
medicine  of Paris have placed  the  prussic
acid in the list  of  medicines recommended
by the new codex, and many Fiench and for-
eign physicians have  not only repeated my
observations, but have even extended them
far  beyond the point to which I had myself
carried them.   I proceed then with satisfac-
tion and gratification to communicate the re-
sults obtained  by  my fellow practitioners.
 In a pamphlet entitled " : Description of the
chicken-pox which prevailed epidemically
with the small-pox in Milan 1817," Doct. F.
Philiber Fontenelles expresses himself thus,
(p.  21.) "  I have obtained wonderful effects
from the prussic acid  prepared by the meth-
od of Scheele,  in 4 children of the same fami-
ly  attacked  with the hooping cough ; Iput
three drops of this acid into one ounce of dis-
tilled water, and I gave a  spoonful of this
mixture every two hours ; the children them-
selves related ingenuously that having com-
menced the remedy  in the  morning,  they
had had in the evening none of those attacks
■ot coughing which threatened to suffocate
theip, "that they had slept well, and that the
fourth day from commencing the use of this
liquid toe  hooping cough had entirely disap- 
34
 peared in two of them, and in the two omers
 some days later.
   " What gave me the idea of employing the
 prussic acid in hooping cough, was the peru-
 sal ofa memoir of Magendie, which announ-
 ced the success of this remedy in the  ner-
 vous cough.  Considering the hooping cough
 as having its seat especially in the nerves of
 the mucous membrane of the lungs, I thought
 of imitating this  physician.   I  do not  cite
 facts enough to prove that this acid is partic-
 ularly useful  in this disease ; but I request my
 fellow  practitioners  to  repeat the experi-
 ments  which I  have  made, to  determine
 whether we can employ this substance gen-
 erally."
   The inaugural thesis of Doctor J. A. Man-
 zoni, sustained  at  Padua  1818,* contains
 many very curious observations  on the good
 effects of prussic acid in diseases of different
 natures: these observations are nearly all de-
 rived from the practice of professor Brera.
  " A woman, aged 29, ofa florid complex-
 ion, of a sthenic  and  irritable  constitution,
 was brot to the clinical institution of Padua,
 without having yet received any  relief, al-
 though she was in the 7th day of  a very se-
vere attack ofa pleuro-peripreumony.   Ten
 ounces of blood were  at  first drawn,  a little
 after eight ounces were also taken ; 30 drops
 of prussic acid in an emulsion of gum ara-

  *De precipuis acidi  pru?sici et aquae cohobaffe Pruni Lauro-
 ceraM medic* facultatibus observationibus comprohatis.  J. A.
 Manzoni, 1818. 
35
bic were prescribed  and taken  during the
day, and twelve others during the night; the
day after, the urine became  abundant and
sedimentous, after  which the expectoration
diminished, the  respiration  became  more
free, the cough less fatiguing, and the pain in
the side ceased gradually. Thus by a sim-
ple and mild  method of treatment, this dis-
ease was cured in a fevv days.  Dr. Manzoni
asserts  also in his thesis that the professor has
derived the greatest advantages from the use
of prussic acid in inflammation of the bronch-
ia? catarrhs and phthisis,  I transcribe his ov. n
expressions : " In some other thoracic affec-
tions, in bronchitis, and catarrhs, which as-
sumed  a very inflammatory  character, Pro-
fessor Brera employed the prussic acid to op-
pose  their farther progress,  and to prevent
their termination  in a chronic inflammation
of the lungs.  The professor led by this doub-
le  indication, employed this  remedy in tu-
bercular phthisis, in which there is a contin-
 ual series of phlogistic processes.
    He gave .to a patient ofthis kind thirty four
 years old prussic acid in an emulsion of gum
 Arabic, and thus stopped the inflammation,
 whi:h repeatedly showed a tendency towards
tubercles,  and  prolonged the poor  man's
life ; for the quantity of expectoration was di-
 minished, and there was an  improvement in
the pus, which derived its origin from  tuber-
cles which had supurated before the patient
entered the clinical institute. 
36
   A similar amelioration has been obtained,
 by the same means, in two females affected
 with  chronic catarrhs tending toward phthi-
 sis.   In both the  expectoration was copious
 and puriform ;  but after  using  the  prussic
 acid it diminished much and became only a
 simple mucus.   These two  women left the
 clinical institute almost  perfectly recovered.
   Professor Brera has  observed the same
 facts  in his private practice.   Among many
 analogous cases is found  the memorable ex-
 ample of a noble lady affected with incipi-
 ent phthisis ; she was taken with an he mop-"*
 tysis so abundant, that she was soon near ex-
piring ;  bleedings were  used in vain,  Dr.
ferera then prescribed 100 drops of the prus-
 sic acid in the form of pills, to be taken dur-
 ing the  night,  which, according to his  ex-
  ession  miraculously arrested the  hemor-
  ^ge.  The use of the acid  ih the  dose of
 thirty to fifty drops in twenty four hours was
 continued fifteen days, and this woman was
perfectly cured  without any trace of pulmo-
 nic affection  remaining.   The treatment of
pulmonic diseases is not  the only point to-
wards which  Professor Brera  has directed his
researches ; another disease, the most cruel
and implacable  of all maladies, (cancer,) has
been  treated with advantage,in some cases,
by: prussic acid.   A woman tormented  at
once  by  a schirrus uteri  and a syphilitic
affection, was treated'at the clincial institute
by the prussic acid and the leaves of atropa
E 
37
 belladonna, and was entirely cured of both
 diseases.  A noble lady, aged 27 years, of an
 irritable temperament, came to  Padua to be
 treated by Dr. Brera for  a chronic  affection
 of the uterus.  This affection was characteri-
 zed by the  most  acute pains at the fundus
 uteri, and by a mucous-purulent  discharge
 from the vagina.   The os-tincae  presented
 to the touch a heat greater than  natural, and
 a very great number of  inequalities.; the
 menses appeared irregularly.  At that  period
 a most intense uterine colic happened resem-
 bling a true hysteritis with violent fever.  To
 these symptoms were added a great constipa-
 tion  and hemorrhoidal tumours from  which
 she had suffered a  long time.  On the second
 day of the disease this lady was taken with
 an uterine hemorrhage such as she had never
 before experienced ; none of the  usual  reme-
 dies in such a case were of advantage.  If the
 hemorrhage diminished ever so slightly, the
 pains of thejuterus and the hemorrhoids be-
 came intolerable ; and on the contrary if the
 severity of the pains seemed to  be calmed,
 it was feared that the patient would sink un-
 der the hemorrhage; so great was the prostra-
 tion of strength  and the  weakness of the
 pulse.  In this difficult conjuncture profes-
 sor Brera gave ten drops of prussic acid,  in
 the form of pills, every hour, and advised to
 continue them till they had a  marked  effect
on  the  vital  forces.  Scarcely had twenty
drops of the  acid been taken, when irregular
                   D 
38
 palpitations, great anxiety and vertigoes were
 manifested.  Dr. Brera then ordered the use
 of the acid to be suspended, and its place sup-
 plied by a simple infusion of chamomile.  A
 little time after, the skin, which hitherto had
 been dry and ardent, was covered with an  a-
 bundant sweat, the pains of the hemorrhoids
 and the uterus  disappeared, the hemorrhage
 was arrested, the constipation removed, the
 urine  became  abundant  and sedimentous,
 and the patient was soon in a state of conva-
 lescence.  She felt no pain now in the uterus,
 the puriform discharge  became serous, the
 neck of the uterus no longer offered too  eleva-
 ted a temperature, and the inequalities yield-
 ed  gradually to slight injections  of prussic
 acid.*   It results  also from the observations
 of Drs. Borda, and Brera, who employed the
 prussic acid about 1810, in Italy,  in sthenic
 diseases, that this substance is one of the best
 we can employ in calming the activity of the
 motions of the heart, in diminishing febrile ir-
ritation, and combatting violent  inflamma-
tions. Dr. Manzoni affiirms that observations
of this kind are now very numerous in Italy...
 Finally Prof, Brera  has  remarked that prus-
sic acid was of great advantage in expelling
lumbricoides, which are extremely common
at Padua,  and are  complicated with most
of the diseases  at the hospital.  The use of,
the  acid expells  them  very speedily, and
while yet living from the intestinal canal.
 I shall not indulge in any reflections on the
            * Brera. Prospetii Clinici. 
39
 various  observations of professor  Brera.  I
 shall only observe that the  form of pills, to
 which this  learned physician seems attach-
 ed, appears to me one of the most  defective
 for administering the prussic acid; for the
 great volatility of this substance  does not
 permit it to remain along time confined in
 the mass of pills, particularly when the tem-
 perature is a little elevated: this is doubtless
 the reason why the dose could be carried to
 one hundred drops in twenty four hours with-
 out any  sensible injury.
   After  having analysed the thesis of Dr.
 Manzdni, 1 ought to speak of a work written
 professedly on the prussic acid which has re-
 cently appeared in England.*
   It is'from the pen of Dr Granville whb has
 been a  witness to some of the experiments
 which* I  have  made with this substance.  I
 shall extract the most important part of it, the
 facts.
   I find  there  first some cases in which the
 prussic  acid has  sensibly  ameliorated the.
 state  of many advanced pthisical  patients,
 although as we should expect the disease has
 not been cured.  But  I remark there also
 two observations in which the disease appear-
 ed to have been arrested in its progress;
   A young man and a young woman presen-
 ted themselves at the  gratuitous consultation
 Dr. Scudamore, with all the appearances of
  * Further observations on the internal use of prussic acid, Lou-
don, 18J9    *                      •-. 
40
 confirmed  phthisis: they  both experienced
 a fatiguing cough, emaciation, very frequent
 pulse, nocturnal sweats, loss of strength, pur-
 ujent expectoration, and that particular form
 of the nails which usually accompanies these
 various symptoms.   The  Doctor  gave to
 both the prussic acid, in the dose of 10 drops a
 day, and had the satisfaction of obtaining the
 best effects from it.   These two patients per-
 fectly  recovered and thought they  had no
 longer any  need of continuing the remedy.
 After an interval of eight months,  the young
 woman returned to see Dr. Scudamore and
 thank liirn for her perfect cure.

  Effects of prussic acid  on the hectic  and
            sympathetic cough.
   Charlotte  Pearce entered  the  general
 dispensary of Wert minster with a continual
 and intense cough, with which she had been
 affected two years.  She has experienced,
 for some time  a  chronic pain in the liver,
 and as far as we can judge by external ex-
 amination, this organ is tubercular and ad-
 heres in many points where it should be free!
 After having suffered from a violent cough for
 more than a year, a hectic fexa- was devel-
 oped, with two daily exacerbations,  flushing
of the cheeks, and night sweats.  The expec-
toration was irregular, sometimes thick and
abundant,  sometimes almost wanting and
entirely mucous.  With these symptoms, there
 was loss of appetite, loathing of animal food. 
41
 and very great weakness.  The acid,was giv-
 en by the advice of Dr. Granville, in the dose
 of eight drops ; and the cough was so visibly
 affected, that the night of the second day, she
 had 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep  without a
 single moment  of coughing, which had not
 happened for nearly ten months.  'Her appe-
 tite  was completely restored during the time
 necessary to  take about one hundred drops of
 the  acid  ; and  at the end  of six  weeks,
 although her side was still and perhaps always
 will be more or  less painful, her lungs ap-
 peared  much less influenced by the morbid
 state of the liver.  She coughs now very little,
 and without fatigue.
   Mrs. Goodby,  aged forty years, living in
 Marshall Street, Golden square,  had experi-
 enced a recent abortion, and lost her husband
 at the same  moment.   Her mind and body
 were thus equally affected : she kept her bed,
 being very weak from a considerable hemor-
 rhage ; finally,  she had a continual fever,
 cough,  anorexia and  suffered much from
 watchfulness  ; she appeared disposed to be-
 come phthisical: her friends considered her in
 a state of consumption.  My opinion was not
 such; I thought  on.the contrary that after
 having recovered her strength lost by abor-
 tion, the disease  would assume  a more fa-
 vourable aspect.   I determined  on treating
the cough  as sympathetic and depending on a
large malignant ulcer on the right leg, which
occurred in consequence of an erysipelatous
                  d  2 
42
inflammation,  for which she had consulted
Mr. Hutchison.   I proposed consequently to
this lady the prussic  acid  in the ordinary
way.   The cough was considerably dimin-
ished by the second day ; the patient began
to recover her strength, and left her bed in a
state of satisfactory health.   The ulcer of the
leg continues to the moment of my writing;
it  is sometimes inflamed,  and when this
happens, the cough appears  night and morn-
ing, but then a simple dose of acid produces
the most advantageous effect in calming it
instantly.
   Sarah Buck, aged 34 years,  resident  in
Ogle Street, has experienced an affection of
the ovary of the left  side;—for  about ten
months since she has felt a continual  pain in
the left hypochondriurh, shooting occasional-
ly through the abdomen;   she  gradually
wasted away, and had a continual fever ;  an
extremely fatiguing cough began soon after,
and the pulse indicated a sympathetic con-
sumption.  The means I  succesfully em-
ployed to remedy the disease which  produ-
ced all these symptoms, need not be  repeat-
ed : but the cough did not diminish ; this is
the reason why I resolved to combine the acid
with the means already in use.  She began
to take it the 15th January and at this day,
12th February,  she is entirely freed from the
cough and the symptoms attending it. Dur-
ing the use of this remedy, there has been 
43
Scarcely any expectoration and  no oppres-
sion of the breast.
   I give novvtvvo observations of Dr. Scuda-
more addressed to  Dr. Granville, with these
words:
   "  1 have the pleasure of addressing to you
two  cases in which I have used this new and
powerful agent with the greatest success.
   A young woman, aged 20, tall and delicate,
subject  to a cough during winter,  was at-
tacked with  typhus in the month of August
1818 ; the most alarming symptom  was the
appearance  of sub-inflamation of the brain,
when the debility induced by the fever on the
19th day gave itself much uneasiness.  These
symptoms were a considerable  redness  of
the vessels of the  conjunctiva, brilliancy of
the  cornea,  strange  expression of the fea-
tures and  attitudes, a violent delirium at in-
tervals,  the  pulse  frequent and very hard.
Two bleedings in the arm, one of six ounces,
the other  of five, were made in twenty four
hours ;  leeches were applied to the temples;
cold affusions on the head, and other means
which it is useless  to repeat here, were em-
ployed with doubtful success ; however the
danger was not obviated, and convalescence
appeared  only after one month from  the first
attack of the disease : at this period, a cough
began to appear, and became by degrees ex-
tremely intense ; it returned with the parox-
ism of a  hectic fever, twice in twenty four
hours ; it  was followed by an abundant trans- 
44
 piration.   All the known means were em-
 ployed against this cough and the hectic fe-
 ver which threatened the unhappy  patient
 with a speedy death.  I prescribed then the
 prussic acid in doses of 8 drops in twenty four
 hours.  Six days after we abandoned all the
 other remedies, and we gradually augmented
 the quantity of the acid  to 24 drops in twenty
 four hours.  By degrees the frequency of the
 pulse diminished, the expectoration, which
 was copious andpuriform, was lessened and
 disappeared at the end of three weeks ; the
 hectic fever had ceased after about ten days,
 so that in the interval of three weeks,  and  by
 the effect of the prussic acid alone, the patient
 recovered her health sufficiently to  go and
 complete  her convalescence in the country.
 She continues in good health to this day, she
 has recovered her strength and flesh.
   A young gentleman, aged ten years, tall
 and delicate, was attacked with a fever which
 took at first the  continued form  and which
•then became nearly remittent.  This disease
 was indeed troublesome by the extreme vari-
 ation of the symptoms:  at first  the brain
 was apparently  threatened  with symptoms
 of inquietude, the expression of the counte-
 nance was not natural, the head was  painful
 and warm to  the touch,  there was delirium ;
 the pulse varied from one hundred  to one
 hundred twenty  six,  there  was  great pros-
 tration of  strength,  the  tongue was dry and
 fuliginous.  The head  was  relieved after a 
45
week of proper treatment;  soon respiration,
which had  been nearly always oppressed,
became very alarming, and a cough which
before was  insignificant became continual
and very  intense.   The pulse augmented :
seven ounces of blood were drawn from the
arm, which  was continually covered  with
cups, till  the blood presented a commence-
ment of the buffy coat;—-this gave a moment
of relaxation ; a blister was  then applied  to
the left side, which had been many times in-
dicated, as thatside was a little painful. Two
days after the imflamation of the lungs was
still augmented, and respiration became more
frequent.  The  child was pale and emacia-
ted, the pulse feeble, the  debility was  so
great that  cups were still preferred to general
bleeding ;—seven oz. of blood were  drawn
by  this  means with  a manifest advantage ;
however the relief was of short duration, and
there was developed a certain  hectic febrile
state, not as regular as in  the  preceeding
case.  Here, there was a sensation of cold
followed by  heat on  the skin and flushing of
the cheeks twice in twenty four hours.   The
sweats were  excessively abundant: we could
not procure any of the matter  expectorated
it was so scanty.—A second blister was ap-
plied without any profit; in this conjuncture
as  the  lungs presented certain  Symptoms
that called for bleedings which were howev-
er forbidden by the alarming general debili-
ty,  to relieve  the patient  from'the'fever. 
46
 we resolved  to. give the prussic acid.—We
 began by four drops in twenty four hours.
 The  body was  washed twice a day  with
 tepid vinegar and water.  The surface  ol
 the blister was  covered with  some cerate.
 Asses milk at discretion, with cream and a
 little  bread,   formed the   regimen.   The
 temperature of the apartment was agreeable.
 The dose of  the acid was gradually carried
 to eight drops.  The third day of using tjhisj
 remedy,  weakness,, accompanied with  gen-
 eral coldness, and complete dilatation of the
 pupils, obliged us to suspend the use of the
 remedy ; but  the  symptoms haying disap-
 peared at the end of three or four hours, we
 returned  to it, because  it had evidently di-
 minished tr>e  cough, induced a refreshing
 sleep, slackened the rapidity  of the pulse,t
 and diminished the sweats.  When  we had
 used the remedy for fifteen days, we began  to
 diminish  its dose, and soon we discontinued
it, when  all the signs of  convalescence were
 developed,  and  the  breast was perfectly
 free.—In this  last  case,  we employed the
 prussic acid, only because we found no other
means of relieving the patient."

 Asthma, Spasmodic and  dry cough, Hooping
                 cough.
  Mr. H. ofa very advanced age, has been
 affected with an asthma about six years.   At
the approach of each winter, his disease takes
an alarming character, respiration becomes 
47
very difficult, the oppression augments by
the least exercise, or by the impression of a
cold or humid air.   The attacks do not re-
turn at fixed periods; during their intermis-
sion, he is tormented by a dry and continual
cough, which leaves no moment of repose
during the day,  and deprives him of  sleep
during the night.  When in this condition, he
loses his appetite, he cannot take the  light-
est aliments into  his stomach without an im-
mediate aggravation of  the symptoms of his
disease.  The secretions and excretions are
very irregular ; the last  are often totally sus-
pended.   There  is a tendency to ancedema-
tous swelling of the legs, with shivering ;  the;
pulse is good in the morning, at which period
of the day he feels best; it acquires frequen-1
cy towards noon,  a*id is decidedly febrile and
irregular in the evening: at  the  same time
the respiration becomes sufficiently difficult.
to excite convulsive motions.  This deplo-
rable state of extreme  irritation,  has  been
calmed by. the use of the prussic acid.   Mr.
H.  now  coughs  but rarely,  he  hasrecov-.
ered some sleep,  the changes of weather are
less hurtful to him ;  he  can take some  exer-
cise, and  ascend the stairs without experi-
encing oppression.   According to his  own
expressions, he feels much better than he has
done for a long time.  In the case  which I
relate,  the prussic acid has produced no de-
bilitating effect :  the patient has found so
much relief from  its administration, that on 
48
 the least recurrence of his complaint he wish-
 es to have recourse to it, and I have  been
 obliged to warn him of the danger that would
 result from the immoderate and unreason-
 able use of this medicine.
   There is no disease more common in Eng-
 land  than what is called  a  simple  cold,
 without  any special and determinate affec-
 tion.   An indisposition so slight in itself, does
 not deserve,  (if we believe  many persons,)
 any treatment ;but if we consider that  a sim-
 ple  cold  when  neglected  becomes  very
 fatiguing, and  often takes on the character
 of a serious disease, we shall  be  compelled
 to acknowledge the utility  of every means
 which shall have  the effect of very speedily
 arresting colds.  Such is the prussic acid.
  Miss H. of a strong constitution, and enjoy-
 ing good health, was taken with a catarrh
 from  exposure to cold ; she  coughed and
 expectorated a little.   By taking  some pre-
 cautions, Miss H. believed she woul 1 soon
 be freed  from this slight  affection ;  but she
 did not at first give  attention to it ;  and her
 cough continued during  many weeks.  To
 put a stop to it, she had in vain recourse  to
 all the usual remedies in such circumstances.
 She derived from them scarcely any advan-
tage : mild  emulsive  drinks,  expectorants,
and different preparations of Ipecacuanha
were tried in vain. Having heard of the good
effects of prussic acid in a case of  sympa-
thetic cough  related in this work  (observa- 
49
  tion 3d,;  the patient proposed to me to em-
  ploy it;  I willingly consented.   I prescribed
  the prussic acid in a convenient  vehicle ;
  so that  she took five to eight drops in thirty
  hours.  I cbritinued to use it only for a week;
  for, at the end ofthat time,'the cough, which
  was.calmed  by degrees, had totally disap-
  peared.   It has not since returned.
   I have had  numerous  occasions, at the
  dispensary of Westminster, to use the prussic
 acid with the  greatest  advantage  in cases
 similar to the preceeding.   I shall cite only
 the following observation:
   Sarah  Roberts had been  pregnant about
 five months  with her eighth infant.   She had
 for five months  also been fatigued by a vio-
 lent convulsive cough, for which she  consult-
 ed me.   I soon  perceived all the danger of
 her situation.  Struck above all  by her ex-
 treme irritation,  I determined to  administer
 the prussic acid with every  proper  precau-
 tion.   I  gave at first only some drops of it,
 and  I watched its effects.  It did not fail to
 lead to  the  most happy results : I saw die
 patient again some time after ; she was en-
 tirely  freed from  her  cough, and  enjoyed
 perfect health.   It is well to  remark that her
 slate of pregnancy did not  at all influence
 the action of the medicine.
  I shall cite, as a last example of the good
effect  of  the prussic acid, an observation
made by myself on my own children.
  About  two  months since,  they were at-
                    E 
oO
tacked by a very violent cough, almost con-
tinual, and manifesting itself by fits sufficient-
ly violent to make us believe it the hooping
cough.   My eldest daughter was first attack-
ed from exposure to cold ; two days after, my
third  child then in very good  health took
the disease from her sister ; the evening of
the same day the second was equally affect-
ed ; and  finally the fourth, still at the breast,
was soon attacked by it.
  The cough was very violent,  and  did  not
quit them day nor night.  Vomitings  some-
times happened as crises of the cough ;  the
tears flowed abundantly, the face was flushed,
and they complained of  a severe head ache.
This disease had thus all the appearances of
hooping cough : only one caracter was want-
ing, viz. the stridulous inspiration. There was
no fever, except during  the night, after at-
tacks of coughingfor many hours;, as their sit-
uation during the first days, presented nothing
alarming, I was satisfied with letting nature
take its course. However, the cough augment
ing instead of diminishing, and the determin-
ation of  blood to the head during the fits of
coughing, augmenting more and more, I de-'
terminer! to relieve nature, which  seemed of
itself insufficient.   My perfect  confidence in
the benificent properties of prussic acid,  en-
gaged me to employ it, and I had soon cause
to felicitate myself for doing so ; about a week
after I had commenced its use, the  cough  had
entirely ceased, a*d has not returned since. 
51
  A catarrh of the nature of that I have just
described, approaches singularly the regular
hooping  cough:  a similar remedy might
therefore be employed against  it.  Guided
by analogy, I have combatted five or six affec-
tions of this  kind by the prussic acid, and al-
ways with success.  In one case only, the
cough did not yield to the use of this remedy ;
but let us remark that the patient  was a
feeble and emaciated child, still convalesc-
ing from the small pox and the scarlet fever,
which it had had a few  weeks before.  From
the observations I have collected on the use
of prussic acid in the hooping cough, and into
the detail of which it seems to me useless to
enter, I Relieve I am right in concluding that-
employed properly and seasonably in this afr
fection, the medicine can abridge its duration
and mitigate its symptoms.

Letter of Dr. Thomson, author of the London
  Dispensatory,, to Dr. Granville.  Shane
        Street, February 20th \Md>

Sir
  In  conformity with your request, I send
you the  results of my experience relative to
the medicinal properties of the prussic  acid.
I intended to have joined tolhera the recital
of some physiological experiments made on
animals :  But I could as ye,t send you only an
imperfect account; for, since I have began
them, I have  perceived that the plan wlncl? 
52
 I had traced extended more and more, and
 that consequently the whole of these experi-
 ments could not be finished at the period of
 the publication of your work.  Since 1815 the
 memoir of M. Robert published in the Annales
 de Chimie in October 1816,  and translated by
 me in the London Medical Repository, had
 fixed my attention on the action exercised by
 the  prussic  acid on the animal  economy.
 However I did not think of employing it as a
 medicine till 1817, after having heard of the
 memoir of M. Magendie, which you transla-
 ted at a  later  period  into the .Journal  of
 Science  and  Arts.   Since that  period,  I
 have prescribed the prussic acid  in a great
 number of cases with variable success: the
 advantage which I have derived from  it is
 sufficient however to authorise me  to point
 out this  substance as a very useful medicine,
 which ought to find a place  among  the most
 powerful sedatives.
  The prussic acid introduced into the stom-
 ach, acts evidently on the circulatory system
 byimeans of the  nerves:—it diminishes the
 action of  the blood vessels considerably ; it
 destroys it sometimes entirely, when given
 ;n  too strong a dose.  I have never remark-
 ed that its effects, eminently sedative, were
 preceded by any excitation  ; a circumstance
 which distinguishes it from all other substan-
 ces which belong to the class of  narcotics.
 M.  Orfila and other authors think that it is
rapidly absorbed  and  transmitted  iuto  the. 
53
 torrent  of the circulation, and that its ef-
 fects  are  more  or less  prompt according
 as the  circulation  is more   or  less   ac-
 tive.  The truth of this opinion is rendered
"doubtful  by  the  instantaneous manner in
 which it produces death, when it is given in
 a strong dose without having been dissolved.
 Its absorption is no better pioved by  the im-
 possibility of  discovering  by the aid of re-
 agents any trace of prussic acid in the stom-
 ach of the animal  which has been killed by
 this poison ; indeed, we scarcely know  the
 reagents  proper to detect the pure  prussic
 acid.   I have proved by experiment, that the
 sulphate of iron, which detects its  presence
 when it is mixed with some other substance
 or when it is in the state of prussiate  of pot-
 ash, produces no  blue precipitate when  we
 pour it on the pure prussic acid ; we  cannot
 produce this  precipitate any better  by ad-
 ding to the mixture a solution of potash.*
   However it may be, the  sedative influence
 of prussic  acid on the nervous system,  even
 when it is  greatly diluted,  is indisputable : I
 determined then to try it as a remedy, after
 the experiments of M.  Magendie.
   The diseases in which I  have prescribed
 the prussic acid, are catarrhal affections ac-

  * The only means of discovering the presence of prussic acid
 ,n the liquid which we suspect contains it, is to pour upon it some
spirit of wine and potash, then to add a solution of sulphate of
iron containing some drop* of muriatic  acid,or feme neutralized
tincture of iron.
                    E- 2- 
54
corripariied with cough, and chronic cougha.
I believe 1  have also derived some advan-
tage from it  in a case of hemorrhage ; but as
I have only a single observation on its utility
in this case,  I shall not draw from it a gener-
ah conclusion.
  I have used it with very great success in
catarrhal affections, which prevail epidemic-
ally  in the country I inhabit.   The disease
begins by shiverings, which are soon follow-
ed by a febrile movement, by sneezings,
hoarseness,  thirst, and  a laborious  cough,
which comes on by paroxysms, is more fre-
quent during the night, and deprives the pa-
tient of sleep; the tongue is loaded, the belly
constipated, and the expectoration  very dif-
ficult.  Since I  have employed the prussic
acid, I have  had recourse to bleeding only in
a very few cases, although it seemed indica-
ted by  the  state of the  pulse: but  I have
abandoned its use from knowing the action
exercised by the prussic acid on the circula-
tory system.  I begin ordinarily by  purging
the patient, then I administer the acid, dissol-
ved in some distilled water or a simple al-
mond emulsion : I take  care to proportion
the doses to the age and strength of the indi-
vidual, gradually augmenting the quantity
till the  cessation of the cough.  In adults,
I have begun by giving two drops of it  in a
spoonful of  the vehicle, taken every two or
three hours.   For children  between  four 
55
  months and a year, I have prepared the fol-
  lowing formula:
    R. prussic acid, two drops ; distilled water,
,  three  fluid ounces ; syrup of tolu, one fluid
  dram.  Mix them and take of the mixture
  two tea  spoonfulls every third hour.  The
  strongest dose in which I have ever adminis-
  tered  this acid, has been twenty four drops
  in a day for  an adult,  and six drops  for a
  child.
    The first  and  most  prompt  advantage
  which I have obtained from the use of prus-
  sic acid in catarrhal affections, is to restore
  sleep, and to render the  fits of coughing less
  frequent.  The following  day we find the
  pulse  less active and less hard, and the cough
  becoming gradually less violent.  I have not
  remarked  that  it promoted expectoration;
  but it certainly  diminishes the  cough  and
  above all rendeis  it less laborious.   The in-
  testinal  canal  is  greatly excited; so that I
  have been very rarely obliged to give purga-
  tives a second time.  We easily remedy, by
  the moderate  use of some  stimulants, the
  languor which sometimes follows the use  of
  prussic acid in feeble and aged persons ; and
  when the cough is calmed, we are sure  to
  dissipate it by using an ammoniacal tincture
  of iron, dissolved in some brandy and water.
    I send you only one  observation, chosea
  from among those I  have collected in the ca-
  tarrhal epidemic, which I have already men* 
5fr
. tioned ; for they are all similar.*  I have join-
 ed to it some other observations, to  show the
 good effects of the prussic acid in  affections
 ofa different kind, which we regard general-
 ly as very difficult to treat with success.

             OBSERVATION  I.
   Mr. S. employed in the  controller's office,
 aged thirty seven, of a plethoric constitution,
 and enjoying habitually good health, came to
 consult me for a very fatiguing cough, which
 had tormented  him many weeks.   He rarely
 enjoyed any moments of sleep, on account of
 the violence of his fits of coughing, which be-
 came more  and  more frequent ; he  had at
 the same time a considerable soreness in the
 throat, great  hoarseness, the breast was free
 from pain, the respiration short, and slightly
 sonorous.  The patient had taken  without
 success gruel, honey and other remedies of
 that kind.
   After having been purged, Mr.  S. was put
 on the use of prussic acid, in the dose of two
 drops in  twelve drams of water,  repeated
 every two hours.  On the first night lie en-
 joyed more repose, the cough had diminished
 in  force  and frequency, the  expectoration
 had become more easy, the pulse had lost its

  * In this epidemic I have had occasion to prescribe the prussic
 acid to twenty individuals. I have observed that in  children who
 have been the most severely attacked, it was necessary t» pre-
 cede the administration of the prussic acid by a bleeding end a
 slightly stimulant purgative. 
57
 hardness, and at the end of three days all the
 symptoms of the disease were quieted.
   It  is well to observe that Mr. S.  did  not
 keep his chamber nor change his ordinary
 way of living : he only abstained from w ine,
 because he had ceased to use it as well  as
 all fermented liquors, since the commence-
 ment of his disease.

            OBSERVATION II.
   Miss G. aged forty, of  a sanguine and ir-
 ritable temperament, and of a character nat-
 urally gay, was attacked two  years  since
 with that particular affection of the  mucous
 membrane of the  trachea, very well desig-
 nated in its most  advanced  degree by  the
 name of tracheal phthisis.  She  had  been
 treated at the commencement of her disease,
 by the antiphlogistic method;she had deriv-
 ed so little advantage from it, that confiding
 no longer  in  the  assistance  of  medicine.
 she followed  no treatment in  the  course  of
 the second year:  she took some medicines
 only when her  symptoms were aggravated.
*Her disease was besides  characterized by a
 troublesome cough, a sense of dryness in the
 throat, momentary threats of suffocation, and
 a  general inflammation of the fauces with-
out swelling.   These symptoms which were
accompanied with fever and a great irritabil-
ity, never ceased entirely ; they diminished
only by intervals, above all during the  sum-
mer.  However slightly the patient was ex- 
58
 posed to the,cold, they reappeared with new-
 violence : so she kept  her  chamber  during
 all the last and present  winter.   As the con-
 dition of Miss G. grew worse and worse, I ad-
 vised her to quit  England  instantly, and to
 go and live in warm climates.
   I saw Miss G. very often ; I followed  with
 care  the progress of her disease.   It was ev-
 ident to me that, although many of her symp-
 toms depended  on inflammation of the tra-
 chea, some however ought to be  attributed
 to the state of irritation of the nervous sys-
 tem.   I was confirmed  in this opinion by the
 state  of the pulse, which was small, active,
 irregular, and presenting continual variations
 in relation to the state of the intellectual fa-
 culties.  There  were  at the same time palpi-
 tations of the heart, and the little sleep which
 the patient enjoyed was never profound, and
 often agitated.  I  thought  that the use of
 prussic  acid was indicated, and I determin-
 ed soon to fry it.
  January c*-6,1 visited Miss G. and I  found
lierinthe midst of one  of her attacks: she
 attributed it to the.impression of cold.  How-'
 ever  she had not  been exposed to the air;
 she had quitted her bed chamber only to
 pass into a  diving-hall  whose  temperature
 was  sufficiently elevated.  The  coughing
 was more severe than usual, very  frequent,
 and  resembled  that  of croup; suffocation
 was imminent, the heatof the skin ordinary ;
 but the pulse was small, quick, intermitting; 
m
 the whole fauces presented a  very intense
 inflammation; besides, they seemed-as  if
 furrowed with red lines, which appeared to
 be large vessels strongly injected.   However
 there was no trace  of swelling, either in the
 tonsils or uvula.v  1  learnt that, in the morn-
 ing, the patient had been purged with a cer-
 tain quantity of castor oil.  Finding l he occa-
 sion favourable  I spoke to her of a new med-
 icine which I wished to make trial of; and
 after  having made  her  promise to  take it
 punctually,  I prescribed it in the  following
 form Ota:
   R.  prussic acid twelve drops ; rose water,
 half a  fluid ounce  ; syrup of poppies three
 fluid drams.   Make a  mixture of which  a
 large spoonfull should be taken every second'
 hour.
   The day following I  found  her much
 relieved : she had not passed so good a night
 for many months ; she arose without  cough-
 ing, or experiencing any sense of heat or un-
 easiness in  the chest; the pulse was more
 regular, less frequent and fuller.
   The  prussic acid was continued for four
 days : every time I  augmented its quantity
 by two drops.   The fourth day, the patient
 experienced nausea ; and  as  her  condition
 was considerably ameliorated, and the most
severe symptoms of'her disorder existed no
longer, she wished to abandon the remedy.
Since that day, Feb. 26, Miss G. has had no
relapse ; she is perfectly well, and looks up- 
'■60
 on the amelioration of her condition  almost
 as a miracle, and believes herself completely
 cured.   I am far from the same confidence ;
 I think that tl)e< disease is only  restrained in
 its progress,  that  it still requires  a.  careful
 regimin  and  great precautions.   Although
 the mucous  membrane of the trachea is at
 present greatly disordered, still the efforts of
 nature may possiblybe sufficiently powerful
 to restore it to a healthy state.  In this case
 the use of the prussic acid will  have happily
 seconded nature by diminishing the irritation
 ef the nervous system-              ■>

          .  OBSERVATION III.

   Lieutenant colonel  F. had been for many
years attacked each winter with a spasmodic
 cough, which had  resisted every means em-
ployed to put a stop to it.
   Consulted by him this  winter, I thought
that the prussic acid might be useful  to him.
He took it in the  dose of two  drops in  an
ounce of water, repeated every two  hours.
 On the third  day  of using this medicine,
the dose of which had  been successively car-
ried  to  four  drops, colonel F.  perceived a
great diminution in the frequency and the vi-
olence of the cough, he had recovered  his
sleep; in one word, he felt so well, that be-
ing on the point of returning to  his regiment
in Ireland, he requested me to give him  his 
 prescription.  It w^tild have been useless to
 him, since the prussic acid is not yet found
 in any English pharmacopia; but I sent him
 a little vial full of this  acid, pointing out to
 him the mode of using it.

            OBSERVATION IV.

   T. R......, tells ofa feeble constitution, and
 subject to attacks of gout, had been torment-
 ed for a long time by a dispepsia, accompa-
 nied by a particular sensation of heat in the
 tongue, which  was supposed to depend on
 the state of acridity of the stomach.   The
 remedies which he had  employed, and the
 regimen  to  which he  had submitted,  had
 restored the powers of the digesting organs;
 and finding his health as good as  it could be
 in a man  who  had passed the middle age,
 T.  R. ceased to have recourse to medicine,
 However, the sensation of heat on the tongue
 still continued,  when he was attacked with
 the epidemic catarrhal  cough.  He took the
 prussic acid in doses of two drops, repeated
 every two hours ; and in less than four days
 the cough diminished considerably, and even
 the heat of the tongue became less and final-
 ly disappeared.    This  symptom  has not
 since reappeared.
  As the tongue feels by sympthy the state
of the stomach, perhaps the prussic  acid, in
this case, acted by diminishing the irritabili-
ty of the secretory  surface of the stomach,
«r
F 
                   62

and consequently by rendering less acrid the
secreted juices,  and restoring them to  their
natural state.  We know  that  opium and
other narcotics give speedy relief in cardial-
gia, depending on  acidity of  the  stom-
ach ; but these substances soon cease to have
any effect, and augment on the contrary the
irritability of the stomach.  If then the prus-
sic acid produces a more permanent and  no
less efficacious  effect, it is clear that we
ought to recommend its use in dispepsia.
   Such, sir, are the results of my observa-
tions on the use of prussic acid as a sedative.
Whenever it has caused, either nausea, or a
sudden prostration, 1 have  discontinued it:
I do not believe  we ought to prescribe  it
anew in individuals in whom  it has caused
these symptoms.   I think that it may be in-
jurious in certain idiosyncrasies; for exam-
ple  it  may  produce  urticaria  in  persons
who are subject to this kind of eruption after
having eaten  bitter almonds.  The best and
most usual remedies have also effects entire-
ly peculiar on certain  constitutions.  Prus-
sic acid is without contradiction a  remedy
of the greatest energy; and employed by wise
and enlightened  men, it cannot fail  of in-
creasing the riches of the  materia  medica.
              Anthony  Todd Thomson. 
NOTE.
On the use of prussic acid,  by M. de Ker-
    karadec,  doctor in medecine of the
       Faculty of medicine of Paris.

                 CASE I.

  The first time that  I  employed it was in
the beginning of 1818, in the case ofa lady
aged 40 who  had been tormented for a very
long time with a dry nervous cough, which
attacked her five or six times a day, in very
fatiguing paroxisms, lasting an hour or more,
and which gave  place, after  many efforts,
to  a  simple  mucous  expectoration,  with
which  were sometimes mingled  some strice of
blood.
  The prussic acid, procured from M. Plan-
che, was given  in a potion composed of
orange flower water, distilled water of lettuce
and syrup of  ether.
  A great number of medicines had been
previously administered without any success,
the acid succeeded no better.
  We should  observe, 1st  that I began with
an exceedingly small dose ; 2d I did not go
beyond ten drops ; 3d the patient often  in-
terrupted the  use of it; 4th she  never follow-
ed my  advice with any exactness ; 5th when
I  wished to increase the dose she complain-
ed pf feeling pains in the stomach. 
64
                CASE H.

  One of my fellow practitioners requested
me to see a pthisical  patient in the third
degree,  and to administer to her the prussic
acid.  I put twelve drops of it in a potion
composed of orange flower water,  syrup of
marsh mallows, and £ an ounce of syrup of
Diacodium.   The dose was a tea-spoon full
every two hours.—The next day the patient
complained  that the  potion  excited  her
cough.  Doubting this fact, I recommended
perseverance; but, at the end of two days,
the attendants  assured me  that at  each
spoonfull,  there happened a very severe fit
of coughing ; I then abandoned the remedy
and saw the patient no more, she died soon
after.
  These trials  were but little encouraging ;
however 1 resolved to continue them the first
opportunity.

                CASE  III.

  Jean-Marie Delaplace, aged seven, living
in Rue St. Martin, No. 54, was taken fifteen
months since,  with a constant, dry, very fa-
tiguing  cough,  accompanied  with  pains in
the left side of the breast, fever, &c.   Leech-
es to the  breast, the epigastric region, and
the anus; epithems, potions, and anodyne
drinks were administered, but without relief:
the young patient remained three months in 
                   65

this condition,  after which  she was  taken
with  a very violent hooping cough, which
lasted also three months : it was cured spon-
taneously.
  After the hooping cough, the dry cough
returned,  and had lasted one month when I
was sent for.
  I found the patient in bed ; the cough was
continual and  without expectoration,  the
stitch in the side had returned, and the left
side of the breast sounded wrong by percus-
sion,  the  tongue was covered with a whitish
fur, there was  no appetite,  constipation at-
tended, the belly was tense, and a little sen-
sible  to  the touch ; there  was habitually a
slight accumulation of the pulse,  and, from
the relation of the parents,  there was in  the
day a very  violent fever.  The patient had
besides a tendancy to stupor, and a very vio-
lent head-ache.
  I applied to  the chest eight  leeches, and
then  emollient  cataplasms.  The  belly was
also covered with the same kind of fomenta-
tions.  I  prescribed at  the same time mild
juleps,  drinks and clysters.  These means
procured a diminution of the symptoms above
described ;  but the cough always preserved
its  character.   Then I added to a potion
twelve drops of prussic acid of the manufac-
ture of M. Vauquelin.   The dose was a cof-
fee spoonfull every two hours.  The potion
lasted three days, and at the end of this time
the cough began to diminish.   The patient
                   F 2 
                    66-

 took  also  three potions,  containing fifteen
 drops of  this medicine ;  this quantity was
Sufficient to cure him completely : he has not
 had the least relapse for seven months.

                CASE IV.

   At  the same time, Eliza-Therese Henry,
 aged  three years  and a half,  living in the
same house, was  affected with a  hooping
 pough, which had lasted five months, its fits,
very  violent and  very  frequent (these were
at  least twelve a  day,)  were  followed by
a mucous expectoration, mixed with a very
great  quantity of blood.
   I applied five leeches to the left side of the
breast, which gave a  more obscure sound
than the opposite side.
   The little patient was relieved ; there was
now scarcely any blood mixed  with  the ex-
pectoration ; the fits of coughing diminished,
in frequency and intensity.
   I gave  then, twelve to fifteen  drops  of
prussic acid  in a  potion after  the ordinary
manner.    After two  potions,  and  in  the
space of twelve days the hooping cough had
disappeared.

                CASE V.

  James Marie Henry, brother of the pre-
ceeding,  aged nine months, and still at the
"breast, began also to cough,  and the cough 
67
seemed to take the character of hooping
cough.
  We  gave him  for eight days two coffee
spoon fulls a day, of his sister's potion.   The
cough was arrested,

                CASE VI.

  Adrienne Pitre, aged four years and a half,
Rue Neuve-St.-Merry, No. 47, had had a
hooping  cough for five months,  for which
they had administered without  success all
the ordinary remedies, particularly the syrup
of ipecacuanha.
  The prussic acid, procured from M.  Col-
met, apothecary, was administered as usual,
in the quantity of fifteen drops for three days.
  It was suspended for four or five  days on
account of a fever which lasted that time, we
then resumed its use, and at the end of fifteen
days I ceased to visit the patient,  her cough
had ceased.
  I have learnt since,  that fits of it had re-
turned at distant intervals  when the weather
was humid : some baths caused it to disap-
pear without returning.

                CASE VII.

   Miss R., aged twenty years, ofa plethoric
constitution, had her menses habitually reg-
ular,  and the quantity of blood  evacuated
every  month  was abundant.  These  hap-
pened to her,  without any  known cause! 
68
 very acute pains in the stomach, to which
 was joined an almost continual cough, which
 returned  by very  violent paroxysms,  but
 without any appearance of hooping cough.
   As some in her family had had the gout,
 and as she herself had in her infancy felt
 some attacks of that complaint, I advised
 pediluvia impregnated with mustard,  which
 were of no utility.   I administered also some
 lenitives,  slightly  narcotic,  antispasmodic
 drinks and potions.
   I  put  her on the use  of asses  milk,  all
 without success.
   The length of the sufferings,  and the ob-
 stinacy of the cough, made Miss R.,  unea-
 sy, and she thought herself threatened with
 phthisis.
   Her colour and flesh were altered.
   I gave her twelve drop*, a day, of the acid
 prepared by M. Vauquelin, in six tea-spoon
 fulls of edulcorated mucilage, of gum arabic.
   At the end of some days the cough dimin-
 ished sensibly.
   Encouraged by this  success, the patient
 took three drops of it to a spoon full,  in all
twenty one drops a  day, and continued this
 dose for some time.
   At this day Miss  R., is entirely freed from
 her cough, and enjoys very good  health. The
 pains of her stomach are rare and supporta-
 ble, 
69
   Such is the written or printed intelligence
 which I have received relative to the medi-
 cinal effects of prussic acid :
   The agreement which we may remark be-
 tween  the observations collected in various
 parts of Europe, by distinguished physicians,
 seems to me an irresistible testimony in fa-
 vour of the happy advantages which this new
 medicine presents, and of its perfect safety,
 even in very strong doses, when it is admin-
 istered with prudence, but without timoorus
 circumspection.
   Whilst these  facts  were collected, I have
 not remained idle ; I have neglected nothing
 to  extend,  confirm or invalidate the results
 which I have related in  my memoir;  but I
 have been particularly occupied with the ef-
 fects of prussic acid  in phthisis pulmonalis,
 as the point which presented the most inter-
 est, and where  the  difficulties  to be over-
 come were the  greatest.
   I have administered the prussic acid, both
 in my private practice, and at the gratuitous
 consultation of the  central bureau of the
 hospitals, to a very great number of phthis-
 ical patients more  or less advanced,  and I
 have seen, as well as in my first observations,
 the  most fatiguing symptoms experience a
 sensible emelioration; the cough becoming
 much less frequent, the expectoration more
 free, the sleep more prolonged, &c*
  * M. Lerminier having experienced a very long indisposition,
 it has been impossible for me to continue my observations in the
words of La Charite. 
70
   In a single case I have  seen the  prussic
acid fail completely ; it was in a young and
interesting person, wife of an apothecary of
Paris.  After a lying-in, she was taken with
the  first  symptoms  of  phthisis;  in three
months the  disease ran through its  periods
without any remedies having  appeared to
influence its progress: the  acetate of mor-
phine alone seemed to diminish a  little  the
burning fever, and the fits of coughing which
consumed the patient.
   It is doubtless highly worthy of all the in-
terest of the physician to seek to render the
horrible existence of the unfortunate individ-
uals attacked with  organic  affections more
supportable ; for medicine is as often the act
of relieving  as  of curing.   But how greatly
will a remedy which shall  successfully  op-
pose the developement of  phthisis  influence
the  happiness of society !  how many tears,
how much dispair will it prevent !*
   I have  not however  entirely  abandoned
those hopesf which I had  derived  from  the

  * I do not pretend to say that, by this means we  shall influence
the total mortality, for its laws appear to be wholly independent
of medicine; but if it should not change the annual number of
deaths, probably it will cause it to bear more particularly on an
age in which the loss of life is less sensible to those  who die, and
above all more easy to repair for those who survive : it is sufficent
to-point out the first period of infancy.

  11 indulge these hopes at present so much the more willingly,
since Dr. Laennae has just published many histories of cures of 
71
two facts related in my memoir.   I have
neglected no occasion  of using the prussic
acid in the first  degree of phthisis,  making
every effort to dispel the illusions which sur-
round the doubtful  physician,  who seeks to
recognize the commencement of a disease
reputed incurable.
   My trials have not all been equally happy:
in many cases I have had the pain of seeing
pthisis continue its  progress  in  spite of all
the aids  of the act, among which I have not
failed to employ the medicine on the use of
which I build my greatest hopes.
   But it is with  a satisfaction easily compre-
hended that  I have seen the  symptoms of
phthisis completely terminated in seven dif-
ferent  cases, in  five children of four to six
years,  a  girl of  fifteen, another  of  twenty
years,  a young man of  twenty five, and  an
old man of sixty six years ; and it  is  with
anxious solicitude that  I watch their  health,
to know  whether this disease is truly arrest-
ed,  or only  suspended in   its progress.
Time  can only  clear up this doubt  I shall
only observe that the two  ladies, the  sub-
jects of the  observations  related in my me-
moir, and whose  cure dates back four years,
continue  in  perfect health.  May those of
whom I have just spoken, long enjoy  the
same advantage!
phthisis ; cures confirmed by the examination which an acciden-
tal death permittejl him to make.  See de l1 Auscultation medi-
ate, Paris 1819. 
72
   in the various cases in which I have used
 the prussic acid, 1 have not confined the dose
 within the limits I judged necessary in my
 first trials ;  I have  on the contrary  many
 times carried  the dose gradually  to half a
 dram in twenty four hours,  without the least
 inconvenience resulting from it;  I  have also
 observed that the effect of the prussic acid is
 very different in different individuals.   In ad-
 ministering it  we must then  begin  always
 with a feeble  dose ; but we  must not fear to
 raise it ; if the effects of the medicine are not
 manifested.
   This work will I hope  concur in proving
 that physiology,  chemistry and  mfedicine
 can be alied in the cause of humanity, above
 all if, we  wish to obtain from this alliance
 what can really be derived from it.

                 NOTE.
  Experience has convinced me that the prus-
sic acid, prepared by the process of Scheele,
 has  not   sufficiently  constant   medicinal
 properties, on account of the liberty which
 the process leaves to the preparer.   I prefer
 then, and I  employ now the pure  prussic
 acid, prepared by the process of Gay-Lussac,
 and diluted with six times its volume of dis-
 tilled water, or eight times its  weight of the
 same.  The density of prussic acid  is at 7°
 o, 7o583.  That of  water  being unity ; six
 volumes of water for one of acid  correspond
 with five of water and one of acid in weight, 
73
since the weights are equal to the volumes
multiplied by the densities.
   The formulas I have most often employed
are the following:

              Pectoral Mixture.

   R.  Medicinal prussic acid,  .  .   .1 drm.
      Distilled water   .....   1 lb.
      Pure sugar  .  .  ■.  .   .  .  .  H oz.
   Make a mixture of which take a tea spoonful in
the morning, one in the evening on going to bed.

              Pectoral Potion.

   R.  Infusion of ground ivy  .   .  .  .  2 oz.
      Medicinal prussic acid .  .  .  .  15 drops.
      Syrup of marsh mallows  .  .   .  .  1 oz.
   Make a potion to be taken, by tea spoonful do-
ses, every three  hours.

                Cyanic Syrup.

  R. Syrup of sugar perfectly clarified .  . 1 lb.
   Medicinal prussic acid.....1 drm.
   Mix exactly.  We  make use of this syrup to
add to ordinary pectoral potions  and supply the
place  of other syrups.


   I have used the prussic acid in pulmonary
consumption  and asthma,  in several cases
since the paper of Magendie appeared in the
Journal of  the  Royal Institution.   In  one
case it has been  used for eight or ten  months
with occasional intermissions.  This patient
                      G 
74
is a female of forty five, with fever obviously
of the hectic kind, and irritating cough.  She
has occasionally expectorated blood ; yet  it
is thought there is  no organic affection (ul-
ceration) of the lungs.  This patient and her
friends have expressed much satisfaction  in
using the prussic acid.   The fever has obvi-
ously been reduced and the cough much a-
bated by the use of the prussic acid.   At one
period the acid was omitted for four weeks,
when the fever  and all the symptoms of
phthisis returned.   It was thought  by the
friends of the  patient that she  would  have
been  cured if she had continued to take the
acid  during  the  period  above  specified,
This patient is now using the acid.
     r                  ELI IVES, M. D.
           Professor of Mat. Med.  and Bot.
                        Yale  College.


Extract from a letter from E. D. Smith, Pro-
  fessor of Chemistry, Columbia, (S. C.)  to
  Dr. James M.  Henderson, Raleigh (N. C.)
  containing the results of the practice of Dr.
  Davis of Columbia, with the prussic acid.
  Having found in  the 8th number of the
Journal of the Royal Institution, (London)
an interesting article upon the  prussic acid,
by Dr. Magendie, of Paris, I pointed it out
to my friend Dr. Davis, and requested him to
make trial of his new remedy.  A small por-
tion was procured from Charleston, having 
75
been manufactured there by  L'Herrainier,
an excellent French Chemist, who has since
returned to the West Indies : but this being
soon exhausted, no further supply  could be
obtained from thence, and I therefore under-
took to  make it myself, which  I have  now
several times accomplished, according to the
process  of Scheele, recorded  in  Cooper's
edition  of Thomson's Chemistry, Vol.  2. p.
224, &c. observing this  difference, that in-
stead of distilling one  fourth of the whole
quantity of water used,  I permitted but one
sixth to pass  over into  the receiver.   This
process is somewhat tedious and complica-
ted, but with the  requisite chemical knowl-
edge, and suitable apparatus, it may be con-
ducted with accuracy  and success.   Thus
much  for the mode of  supply.  As to the
nature of this substance, it is a most virulent
poison, and in this respect you will recognize
its analogy  to some of our most  effectual
remedies—It would therefore require to be
carefully kept from common handling,  and
also from the action of light, which  is said to
decompose it.   The same result ensues from
long keeping: for then instead, of its natural
transparency, it exhibits a darkish hue.
'  An adult in using it, should commence
with three drops of the acid, diluted with as
many ounces of water,  and  taken in the
course of twenty four  hours—A gradual in-
crease may be made to  eight  or ten drops,
which is the largest dose  that has  yet been 
76
used in this place.  Our experience  here is
not more than of two months standing, and
during that time Dr.  Davis has prescribed
the acid in eijjhi or nine cases,  all of which,
as yet (with the exception of one) have been
greatly  benefitted.   The unfortunate  case
whs that in which it was first used, and was
almost hopeless  at the  time ;  but, even  in
this, the distressing cough, copious expecto-
ration and wasting hectics were for  weeks
kept at bay, and the patient so  much re-an-
imated as to induce a hope of recovery ; but
this finally  proved delusive.   At any rate,
however it was the best palliative that had
been used, and greatly abated the sufferings
of dissolving nature.   From the other cases
it may probably be  inferred that in propor-
tion to the recent occurrence of the disease,
has been the apparent benefit; and in no one
case has the remedy produce'dTmjurious con-
sequences.  After some continuance, it  ap-
pears to  affect the breast  with a sense or
stricture, which is  relieved by'the distise for
a few da \% or by  some discharge of blood
from the lungs ; or it affects  the brain in a
slight degree, soon  removed, however, by a
disuse of tho medicine.  The auxiliary treat-
ment is much the same as with the use of
other medicines—to keep the  stomach  and
 bowels clear,  (although the acid in some de-
gree performs the functions ofa cathartic,) to
 avoid alterations of temperature and expo-
 sures, &.c.-. 
ON THE PREPARATION AND USE OF THE PRUSSIC ACID,


         BY ALFRED S. MONSON, M. D,


               NEW-HAVEN.
            PRUSSIC ACID.

   As regards the application of this  article
to the purpose of medicine, a great desidera-
tum appears to be, a mode in which  it may
be prepared so as to possess uniformly the
same strength.
   The process of  Scheele, or the modifica-
tion of it by Planche, and indeed all others
that have been proposed ; appear in this res-
pect objectionable.
   The process of Gay-Lussac, may form an
exception to this remark: but this is attend-
ed with more hazard to the operator,  is less
economical and far less convenient.
   The process  of Scheele,  Planche, and
others is  objectionable, because the quanti-
ty of the  prussiate of mercury formed, will
vary with the quality of the articles employ-
ed in making it.  The quality of the Prussian
blue, and of the red oxyde of merjcury, is by
no means constant.  The former varies in
                   G2 
78
strength, and purity, and the latter is some
times adulterated with minium.   By follow-
ing precisely  the process recommended by
Scheele, I have obtained prussic acid of very
different degrees of concentration, from those
articles ; and those which are sold  in our
shops for the best  quality.  But could they
be obtained  uniformly of the same purity,
still if the ingredients are not sufficiently boil-
ed, or well mixed, part of each will remain
undecom posed.
  Some difficulties, it is  true, cannot  be
wholly obviated by any process hitherto  dis-
covered.  Whatever means are made use of
to decompose the prussiate of mercury, pro-
vided they are effectual, the strength of the
product resulting from its decomposition will
be ceteris paribus, proportional to the  quan-
tity of  the prussiate  employed.  In order
therefore  to obtain  prussic acid of uniform
strength,  it appears  necessary  that  some
mode be adopted, which shall not be influen-
ced by  the different degrees of purity in the
articles, from the combination of which it is
indirectly obtained.
  The process  of Gay-Lussac, provided a
certain  quantity of distilled water be placed
in the retort, or receiver,  or in  both ;  would
be less  exceptionable for accuracy than  for
convenience.
   A  process  I have adopted,  which is
a  modification  of  Scheele's, will  insure a
good  degree of upiformity in the strength of 
79
the product.   It moreover possesses the ad-
vantage of being effected  with as little  la-
bour as any.
   It is as  follows.
   Take  any number of fluid ounces of a
saturated solution of prussiate of mercurv in
distilled water ofa  given temperature: pro-
ceed with it nearly as directed in Scheele's
process ; distilling off any definite quantity.
   For  medical  prussic acid,  the  following
process will  invariably  afford that  which
possesses  the  strength of Scheele's   when
properly prepared from the best materials.
   Pour into the retort, eighteen fluid ounces
of a saturated  solution of prussiate of mercu-
ry, at the temperature of 65° of Fahrenheit;
add to it two  ounces and an half of iron  fil-
ings ;  pour upon  these,  two  ounces  by
weight, of strong sulphuric  acid, and  distill
off three fluid ounces into a receiver contain-
ing one fluid ounce of distilled water.   The
receiver must  be surrounded  with ice, and
covered with a cloth to render  it dark.
   To get rid of the  colouring matter, togeth-
er  with  some  sulphuric acid, and iron that
come over, it  may be redistilled from dry
carbonate of lime.
   A tubulated receiver is employed:  this is
connected with the retort by  means of one
or two adapters of common length; the junc-
tures are made perfectly tight, a tube of safe-
ty leads from  the tubulure of the receiver 
80
 into a little water, and a tube descends from
 the retort to the bottom of the receiver.
   In forming  the  prussiate of mercury,  1
 have observed, (and  the same fact was  no-
 ticed by Professor Silliman): that if only
 half as  much of red oxyde of mercury as  of
 Prussian blue be used as directed by Scheele,
 the whole of the Prussian blue is not decom-
 posed and more of the prussiate of mercury is
 obtained, by adding  more of the red oxyde
 and boiling them again.
   To ascertain the precise quantity required
 to  produce a  saturation, I  have employed
 several  proportions.   From  these experi-
 ments it results that where  the materials  are
 of the best quality,  two and a half parts  by
 weight, of the red oxyde, to four of thejprus-
 sian blue  is  the best proportion.   I  prefer
 using a  larger quantity of water than is  di-
 rected :  to aid the mutual action of the prus-
 sian blue and of the oxyde of mercury.
  The following experiments will show the
 strength of the  prussic acid  obtained in the
 above manner.
  Experiment 1.—Three drops of this prus-
 sic acid were introduced into the mouth of a
 full grown cat.  In one minute and  a half
 she yelled heidously, ran  clumsily  across
 the room, and  for ten minutes  took no  no-
 tice of objects around  her.   In thirteen min-
 utes she appeared sleepy, and her respiration
 more hurried.  In twenty minutes appeared
nearly well:  but as soon as  she was libera- 
81
ted, she lay down and slept eight hours ; af-
ter which time  she appeared as well as be-
fore the experiment.
   Experiment 2,—A drop and  a half were
introduced into the mouth, ofa pigeon; in
half a minute it fell, and fluttered as if decap-
itated :  and in two minutes it was dead.
   Experiment 3.—A large cat,  strong  and
fierce, was held and  made  to  swallow ten
drops of this  prussic acid from  a dropping
glass.   In less than fifteen seconds the  an-
imal fell, gave two or three dismal  screams
and breathed no more.
   This  animal  was susceptible of electrical
influence for twenty minutes.  In thirty three
minutes with the largest charge of electrici-
ty from  a quart jar,  I could discover no signs
of muscular contraction whatever.
   Experiment 4.—Two small drops  were let
fall into the mouth ofa large rat: he appear-
ed restless, and was set at liberty: he  im-
mediately fell on his side ; arose, staggered,
stood with his head nodding ; scratched his
throat with his  fore paws ; his eyes projected ;
he remained  much  in the same state for five
minutes ; but soon appeared better: and in
twelve minutes shewing  a disposition  to es-
cape, he was arrested and confined.
   Experiment 5.—Four minims were  intro:
duced into  the mouth of another  rat.   In
twenty  seconds he  threw his head on  one
side,  fell, experienced  an emprosthotonos:
his eye-balls projected ; he urinated  and ex-
pired  in two minutes. 
82
   To the kindness of Professor  Silliman, I
am indebted for some of Scheele's prussic
acid, prepared by Mr. Robiquet in Paris, and
obtained through the good offices of Dr. Ma-
gendie.
   From several experiments with this prus-
sic  acid, it appears to  possess the  same
strength as that afforded by the process which
I have suggested.
   Ten drops of this  acid were poured into
the mouth ofa cat: the animal leaped sud-
denly upon the floor; ran across  the  room;
fell down ; breathed but three times and ex-
pired.  Electrical shocks were immediately
passed through her : she manifested an un-
common degree  of excitability for twenty
minutes ; after which time muscular contrac-
tion soon ceased.
   In a number of experiments  the  effects
produced on the  same kind of animals and
in others  of different  kinds, such as crows,
pigeons, mice and insects, were very similar
to those recited.
   There was generally a paralysis of the pos-
teriour extremities in  quadrupeds, frequent-
ly a tetanic rigidity of the muscles, some-
times singultus, and commonly a palpitation
of the heart.
   It often produced on animals effects simi-
lar to those which  follow sudden  fright  or
rage : on birds a ruffling of the feathers, and
on quadrupeds a horripilation, particularly
oji the back and tail.  On all grown anim- 
83
 als, it appeared invariably to act with more
 energy than on the young of the  same spe-
 cies.
   Against the effect of prussic acid no anti-
 dote has been discovered.  The most pow-
 erful stimuli have been proposed : that among
 these  electricity  will claim the  first rank
 would appear probable from  the  following
 and other similar experiments :
   To a large rat had been given so much of
 the prussic acid  that he manifested a total
 asphyxia.  In the course of half an  hour, two
 hundred shocks of electricity from an eight
 ounce jar, had been  passed through  him.
 At the end  of this time he was  resuscita-
 ted, arose, ran across the  room ;  appeared
 stupid for some time, but finally recovered.
   The following  cases are stated to  exhibit
 the operation of prussic acid medicinally
 employed.
   A lady of nervous temperament, affected
 with a convulsive  cough, had taken the usu-
 al remedies for several weeks, biit  found no
 relief; she took prussic acid  of the strength
 of Scheele's,  five drops diluted with three
ounces of cinnamon  water, in  the  course of
the first day.   On the second day  she took
ten drops in the same vehicle, and the same
on the third day.  On the fourth she found
her cough had left her; she  omitted its use
and her cough has never returned.
  In a  case  of  herpetic eruption on the
hands, a solution of twenty drops in an ounce 
84
of water, was used for a wash ; a  tea spoon-
ful at a time ; no benefit was apparent nor
was any effect produced by  it.  A case of
psora was removed by it but  it  returned ;  re-
course was had to it again, it  was removed
and did not again return.
   Tooth ache  A drop  of prussic acid, di-
luted with  an equal  quantity of water, put
in the tooth with some cotton wool gave  in-
stant relief.
  A naevus which from a trifling bruise had
taken on diseased action and become exceed-
ingly painful, was much relieved by occa-
sionally washing the part with some solu-
tion  of thirty  drops  of  prussic acid in one
ounce of distilled water.  In this  case many
sedative  applications had been employed
and all hopes of relief from any thing but
extirpation  were abandoned.
  A lady affected with symptoms of catarrh-
al phthisis  and fever bordering on  hectic ;
her pulse was from one hundred and twenty
to one hundred and thirty in a minute.  The
prussic acid was given to the extent  of ten
drops in twenty four hours, diluted with two
ounces of cinnamon water, and gradually in-
creased to  thirty  drops in the same time;
the pulse was reduced only to one hundred ;
expectoration  appeared rather diminished.
After continuing its  use for some days the
dyspnoea accompanying  the complaint  in-
creasing, the remedy was omitted.  The pa-
tient  soon grew  better,  respiration easier 
                    85

and the pulse did not rise again so high as
before.
   To an infant one year old labouring under
a convulsive cough, a mixture  consisting of
six drops prussic  acid  in  fourteen  drachms
fluid, was given in half tea spoonful doses ev-
ery hour with directions to  omit it if sleep
supervened.
   The paroxisms  of coughing became far
less frequent on the first day of its  adminis-
tration.  Its use was continued until  the a-
boye quantity had been taken with consider-
able, but not with the same  relief as on the
first day.
   On  the third day more of the same  mois-
ture was directed to be giv<jn  in double hie
dose : the paroxisms of coughing had become
most violent in the morning and evening; the
strictest attention was paid to its administra-
tion ; and on the  fourth day the cough was
nearly subdued and the patient in all  res-
pects evidently better : the  necessity of my
attendance was superseded.
   Those who have  never witnessed the  pow-
erful controul of  prussic acid over  the vital
principle, may convince themselves  of its ef-
ficacy by an experiment on any  living anim-
al.   Lvvperimental  knowledge, thus acquir-
ed, will to those who administer it, iiMire the
observance  of greater  accuracy and atten-
tion,  and at some  future  period,  may be
productive   of great improvement, in  the
science of medicine.
                      II 
86
  We sometimes see violent effects  exerted
on certain idiosyncrasies by the most com-
mon medicines, such  as opium,  calomel,
antimony, &c. ; although as yet prussic  acid
has been more uniform  in its operation  than
any of these;  lest however such  an effect
might  sometimes  occur,  the  propriety  of
commencing its administration  with minute
doses will suggest itself to every enlightened
practitioner.
                ERRATUM.

" iir*!c 79~20th Iine from t0P for " •''<«* fluid ounces," read
i Ml &C.
  N. B. Practitioners are informed that the
Prussic Acid may be obtained of Dr. Al-
fred S. Mow son, by whom it  is prepared
at the request of Professor  Silliman—Cor-
ner of York and Elm "streets, New-Haven. 
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