The plan personally pursued in giving strychnine is as follows: As a rule, 1 grain is divided into thirty or thirty-two doses, and one dose administered four times a day. This lasts one week, and the following week grains are di vided and given in the same manner. After this, instead of increasing the drug a quarter of a grain, as in the first week, it is augmented to only an eighth of a grain every week until the line of toler ation of the drug is approached. This is most often shown by slight twitching in a leg, by a tendency to stiffness of the lower jaw, or by a fullness in or drawing of the neck. After this a some what smaller dose is given for two weeks or a month, and then an effort is made to push it too near a point of physiolog ical toleration; or a retreat is made to a point near the initial dose, and this is gradually increased until the line of toleration is again in sight. The dose is diminished and the previous steps are repeated again and again.
The greatest value of strychnine lies not so much in its power of acting as a temporary expedient as it does in being a permanent stimulant to the flesh- and vigor- making functions of the body.
Thomas J. Mays (N. Y. Med. Jour., Oct. 5, '9S).
—Strychnine is very valuable in the treatment of surgical shock. In severe cases as much as '/, grain may be given by hypodermic injec tion.
Strychnine hypodermically in the dose of grain is valuable in the grave form of asphyxia neonatorum. After the administration of the strychnine acces sory methods of treatment may be em ployed. Fry (Amer. Jour. of Obstet., Apr., '9S).
—Strychnine is a valuable antidote in poisoning by chloral, physostigma, and opium, in the latter case being better than belladonna. It is also useful in all cases of narcotic poison ing, where respiratory failure is immi nent or present. In chloroform poison ing the hypodermic injection of grain is advised, and this to be repeated in ten minutes if no effect has been pro duced.