Among local applications may be mentioned the unguentum veratri, emplastrum opii, and empl. belladonme, or a lotion (recommended by Dr. Bennett, of Charleston in America), composed of four ounces of the aqua laurocerasi and one ounce of sulphuric ether, either alone or with half or one drachm of the extract of belladonna. The application of an ointment with one or two grains of aconitina to a drachm of lard has also been strongly recommended. Counter-irritants have often proved very efficacious, particularly the application of a common blister, and, after the cuticle has been removed, the sprinkling over the denuded surface a quarter or half a grain of the acetate or hydro. chlorate of morphia. Moms and issues have also been tried with success. [Issue; 31oxe.) After all other remedies, both internal and external, have failed, the patient's last resource is the operation either of dividing the nerve or removing the limb ; and even this will very often fail also. When the cliseam depends on some local Irritation, or resides in the extremity of the nerve, the operation is frequently successful ; but when it proceeds from constitutional causes, or exists either in the brain itself or nearer to it than the point where the nerve can be divided, in this cane it is manifest that, as no benefit can reasonably be expected from the ope ration, the experiment ought never to be tried but at the earnest request of the patient. Sometimes the nerve is simply divided ; but
in these cases the pain very often returns as moon as the two extremities are reunited. Sometimes a portion of the nerve is removed ; but even this appears only to obtain fur the patient rather a longer respite.. Latterly, after part of the nerve has been cut away, the two ends have been touched either with nitrate of silver or the actual cautery, and in some Instances this plan appears to have succeeded where the simple section of the nerve had failed.
(Cooper's Dictionary of Practical Su:very; Good's Study of Medicine ; Dr. Elliotson, in the Cydepaeles of Practical Medicine ; Franck, Pru.reos Medico 1..nirerses Prereepta, t. iv.; M. Jolly, Dictionnaire de Miderine et de Chirurgie I'ractiques, t. xii.; Sir Benjamin Brodie, On Local ;Verrone Affections, Svo, Lond., 1837 ; Dr. Rowland, Treatise on Neuralgia, 8vo, Lend., 1838; Watson, Lectures on the Practice of Physic ; Romberg, On Diseases of the ;Verrone System ; Inman, on Spinal Irritation.)