Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 037.djvu/98

 Town, mistook a Bottle of this Laurel-Water for a Bottle of Ptisan. What Quantity he drank is uncertain, but he died in a few Minutes, complaining of a violent Disorder in his Stomach; This Affair was not much regarded at that Time, because he laboured under a Distemper, to which, or to an improper Use of Remedies, his Death was attributed by those about him.

To satisfy myself farther as to the Effects of this Poison, I made some Experiments, in Conjunction with a few of my Friends, an Account of which follows.

I. October 3, 1728, We gave a large Setting-Dog three Ounces of Laurel-Water by the Mouth. In three Minutes after he had taken it, he began to be strongly convulsed. His Convulsions continued about live Minutes; after which I untied him. He then fell into a most violent Difficulty of Breathing, which lasted about eight Minutes, and abated gradually; upon which he endeavoured to raise himself, but could not.

I tied him down once again, and gave him an Ounce and an half more, upon which he sunk at once, and without any Return of his Convulsions, or Difficulty of Breathing, he expired in two Minutes.

Upon opening the Stomach, I found in it the whole Quantity of Water which he had taken; its Surface was covered with Froth, but it was not otherwise altered in its Colour, Consistence, or Smell. The Inside of the Stomach was not at all inflamed, nor was there any visible Alteration in the Tunica Villosa.