Convulsions, amaurosis, delirium, and coma, or a condition simulating epileptic fits, hallucinations, mania, melancholia and hysteria are not infrequently met with. Saturnine epilepsy is a dangerous manifestation and usually ends in death. General Disorders due to Lead.—Lead may act as an etiological factor in many diseases. Its rtile as such is fully sidered in the articles upon the various affections, and do not require repetition here.
Treatment of Chronic Poisoning.—The indications are to remove the causes. to +.e tlie n already in the body, and to treat the lesions or tissue-changes product.d by the poison. Frequent doses of Epsom :nits will not only relieve the but ill convert any lead present in the g•a:tro-intestinal tract into an in soluble sulphate, and expel it from the body. jalap and calomel, guarded with opium to prevent g-riping, and alum in 2-grain doses with opium or morphine, are suggested as valuable remedies. \Viten cerebritis is present a blister may be applied to the nape of the neck, and revulsions, amyl-nitrite, and sweating (by pilocarpine) may be tried. To elim
inate the lead our sheet-anchor is the iodide of potassium, given in doses of 10 to '..?0 grains three times daily. A double soluble salt (potassic iodide of lead) is formed, which may be excreted by the kidneys through the urine and by the liver through the bile. Paralys.is is an indication for the exhibition of strychnine in large doses, during treat ment with potassium iodide (given sep arately), and the employment of massage and electricity. The induced (faradic) current should be employed if the mus cles react; if they do not, galvanic cur rent is indicated. When no reaction to the direct (constant or galvanic) current is observed, the paralysis is seldom recov ered from. In all cases removal from the source of poisoning should be in sisted upon.
Therapeuties.—Lead is never given to affect the system at large; the constitu tional effects are of no use in medicine. It is used only for the local effects,— astringency, ete„—which differ with the form used.