The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-10-02
Extraordinary Case Of Poisoning.

We learn that on Saturday night, Mr..
josiah Montgomery, one of the city police,
swallowed four grains Of strychuine, mistak-
ing 1t for powder that had been prepared
for an opiate which bad been prescribed.
The dose was large one, containing ten
times Tho amount necessary to cause the
death OF man or an animal. He imme-
diately discovered his mistake, and ran in :
TO DR.. Swinburc's, few doors distant,
where he procured an emetic. DR.. S. was
unwell, but prescribed for him, and after
his return home gave second eme,ic. DIR.
bly, was sent for. Two large emetics, La.
Ken IN pretty quick succession, failed to
cause vomiting. When Dr. BLY, arrived,
twenty minutes after the poison was taken.
the patient lay upon the floor, on his back.
and was convulsed constantly with the Sc.
verest form Of tetanic spasms, and at times
his whole muscular system was rigid. and
he lay IN the opisthoonos position, resting
upon his head and his heels, with the body
raised clear from the floor in the form of an
arch. Several Of these terrible spasms oc
Cured in the space of minute. His Jaws
were firmly locked, so that he could not
swallow, and it was impossible to open his
mouth 10 administer remedies. Tho APP
proach OF anything toward his mouth
csused recurrence Of the spas,ns. DIR. Biz
applied chloroforln, which relieved the
spasms in about three minutes, and stopped
them completely in ten minutes, when a
third powerful emetic was given. If the
chloroform application was RENTED, the
spasms instantly returned in full force; SO that
1t was found necessary TO keep the paiieut
constantly under the influence Of the anns.
the,ic.- In about zen minutes after the
third emetic was taken, vomiting was pro.
duced. Drs. Ely, Armstrong, and Moore
had arrived at this time. Warm water was
now given in large quantities. and thrown
oil the stomach as often as sufficient auan-
tiiy was drunk, until it was believed that
the stomach was cleansed Of the poison re-
naming in it. The assisting physicians
then left the case with DR.. Bly,. The chlo.
roform was still administered, and the pa
tient was Kept under its effects until s
o'clock Sunday morning. when the spasms
were almost entirely broken up, and at 6
o'clock they ceased entirely. During the
time that the spasmodic action was con-
trolled by the chloroform, the system had
opportunity TO throw Off The poison tha,
had been taken up by the absorben,s, and
when that was effected the patient was out
Of danger. He had retained his conscious.
ness during the whole Of the period that he
suffered from the effects Of the poison. lie
was, at 10 o'clock yesterday, in comforta
bic state, with clear mind and good
pulse. Tho frst decided symptom of re.
turning ease occurred at 3 o'clock a. M,
when the patient requested chew of To-
bacco, in which lie was INDUCED
This case is one of very remarkable
character. 1t has never before been known
that person who had swallowed even n
grain of strychnine recovered from its eff.
fects. A full statement of the case will, no
doubt, be given for the benefit Of the pro-
fession in the medical journals.
Rochester Democrat.