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2 formed in the course of three days. On the first day, he gave
3 one drachm of a powder, probably smilax china , mixed with
4 water; on the second, he ordered four other smaller powders,
5 (probably cortex radicis daturce stramonii , with sugar) to
6 be taken at intervals of three hours, each of them weighing
7 10 grains, which produced a stupor. On the third day, he
8 gave a drastic purgative, the principal ingredients of which
9 was semen crotonis tiglii , after which he gave them a decoction
10 of liquorice root ad libitum. On this critical day the patient
11 was allowed no food, and during the three days of that treat-
12 ment he was carefully watched, lest he should taste brandy or
13 other intoxicating beverages, which would produce injurious
14 consequences to the patient. On the fourth day the patient
15 was set free, and felt no desire to take either spirits or opium,
16 the effect of the cure having been to produce an aversion to
17 them. In Europe also, spirit drinkers are weaned from their
18 bad habits by mixing some spirits writli all their provisions,
19 which has the effect of disgusting them with the flavour. In a
20 Persian book, the following remedy for the above-mentioned
21 abuses is recommended, and which professes to have the ad-
22 vantage of effecting the cure in one day ; namely, the before-
23 mentioned bark of the thorn-apple root, mixed with water ; this
24 is administered until it produces intoxication almost to madness;
25 when the patient is in that state, his body is to be rubbed
26 with warm oil, and continued till he falls asleep. In that state
27 he remains generally nine hours. On his aw aking he appears
28 like a drunken man, but on continuing to rub the body with
29 011 for about two hours after his awaking, he becomes perfectly
30 cured. His first drink must be milk and water. It is said that
31 the decoction of China root is efficacious in preventing the pain
32 in the muscles which is experienced after abstaining from opium,
33 and in curing those which owe their origin to the immoderate use
34 of it. It would, perhaps, be worth while to try the effect of
35 rubbing the body with warm oil, either with or without the
36 administration of the bark of the thorn-apple, or China-root, &c.
37 in cases of intoxication, or poisoning by opium. The following