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ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEOICA.

were unable to detect it in the chyle. A similar observation is reportedby Magendie ( Element. Compend. of Physiology, by Dr. Milligan, p. 248,1823). Moreover the recognition of the odour of alcoholic liquors in thebreath of individuals who have sw allowed them, as well as their detectionby their smell in the fluid contained in the ventricles of the brain, in thepericardium, &c., prove indisputably that alcohol becomes absorbed.Dr. Cooke ( Treatise on Nervous Diseases, i. 222) states, on the autho-rity of Sir A. Carlisle, that in one case the fluid of the ventricles of thebrain had the smell, taste, and inflammability of gin. The correctness ofthe last observation has been questioned by Dr. Christison, on the groundthat gin of sufficient strength to take tire could not enter the blood-vessels without coagulating the blood.

Morbid Appearances. —On examining the bodies of individuals whohave been poisoned by ardent spirits, redness and inflammation of thestomach are sometimes, but not invariably found. In old drunkards themucous membrane of the stomach is often injected and thickened. Con-gestion of the cerebral vessels, with or w ithout extravasation of blood oreffusion of serum, is not unfrequently observed. Traces of the poisonmay or may not be found in the stomach, according to the rapiditywi th which death has been produced. The odour of the spirit mayperhaps be recognised in various parts of the bodies, especially in thebrain and the serous cavities.

Uses. —1. Medicinal, (a.) Internal. —Iiaw r spirit is rarely admi-nistered internally: for when ardent spirit is indicated,brandy, rum, gin,or whiskey, is usually employed. Each of these liquors presents somepeculiarity of operation which makes it preferable in certain cases.“ brandy,” observes Dr. Paris ( Pharmacologia ), “ is said to be simply cor-dial and stomachic; rum, heating and sudorific; gin and whiskey, diure-tic ; and arrack, heating and narcotic.” As a stomachic stimulant , brandyis employed to relieve spasmodic pains, to check vomiting, especiallysea-sickness, and to give temporary relief in some cases of indigestionattended with pain after taking food. As a stimulant and restorative inthe last stage of fever, brandy is sometimes given w ith considerablebenefit. For this purpose the mistura spiritus vini gallici of the LondonPharmacopoeia, better known as egg flip, is said to be a favourite pre-paration w ith Sir H. Halford. To relieve mild cases of diarrhoea, at-tended with griping pain, but unaccompanied by any inflammatorysymptoms, a small quantity of brandy and water, taken warm with nut-meg, is often an efficacious remedy. As a powerful stimulant, to supportthe vital powers, and to prevent fainting during a tedious operation,brandy is most serviceable. It is also used to relieve syncope, and torestore patients from a state of suspended animation. In delirium tremensit is not always advisable to leave off the employment of spirituous liquorsat once, since the sudden withdrawal of the long-accustomed stimulusmay be attended with fatal consequences. In poisoning by foxglove,brandy and ammonia are the remedies most to be relied on.

(b.) External. —Spirit of wine is used externally for several pur-poses, of which the following are the principal:— As a styptic, to re-strain haemorrhage from weak and refaxed parts. It is efficacious in twoways: it coagulates the blood by its chemical influence on the liquidalbumen and fibrin, and it causes the contraction of the mouths of thebleeding vessels by its stimulant and astringent qualities. Sponge or