Amblyopia from the abuse of tobacco and alcohol : a clinical paper based upon cases in the practice of C. R. Agnew and David Webster / by David Webster.

  • Webster, David, 1842-1923.
Date:
[1880]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Amblyopia from the abuse of tobacco and alcohol : a clinical paper based upon cases in the practice of C. R. Agnew and David Webster / by David Webster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    such pains as I have heard some persons say they experienced from drinking lager beer. I may say, however, that although we have been using nitrate of strychnia hypodermically for over eight years, and often in three or four different pa- tients a day, we have never yet seen any alarming symptoms from its use, and we do not think there is much danger attendant upon its use in the way we have described. Cases have been reported, how- ever, in which symj^toms of decided strychnine-poi- soning followed its use in amaurosis and amblyopia. But I have not heard of any fatal results. One very disagreeable complication, however, arose in several cases, and that was a tendency to inflam- mation at the site of the j)uncture. In one case a small abscess formed and persisted for several weeks in spite of such treatment as was employed. When this complication occurs a change in the treatment usually seems to be indicated. We have commonly given our injections in the back of the neck, sometimes in the arm, and less frequently in the temjDle. The question naturally arises. How long should we continue these hypodermic injections of strych- nia? Oar practice has been to continue them up to physiological effects, and then to stojJ them if no marked benefit has ensued. If the vision continues to improve after physiological effects have been reached, the injections may be continued for an in- definite ]3eriod, that is, as long as they seem to be doing any good. The quantity injected should be diminished, however, so as just to fall short of phy- siological effects. We have, in some cases, after reaching physio- logical effects, stopped the strychnia injections for a few weeks, and then resumed tLem again, going over the same ground as at first with decided benefit. The largest dose of strychnia I have injected in any one case was, to the best of my recollection, one-fifth of a grain. I have seen one patient, how- ever, who, under the care of a friend of mine, had the dose increased to one-half of a grain before i3hysio- logical effects were produced. Usually physiologi-