An Unusual Phenomenon in Strychnine Convulsions

while to test the margin of safety claimed by the British Pharmacopoeia for the maximum dose of some of the toxic drugs ; amongst the many toxic substances that suggested themselves, strychnine was considered the safest, as the antidote is well known and its action almost quantitative. After consideration of all factors it was considered reasonable that I personally should become the subject of study since it would be advantageous from the point of view noting the symptoms and signs, their order of occurrence and their relative severity. The train of symptoms and signs of strychnine poisoning are very well described in textbooks of pharmacology (Sollmann, 1942). It is stated that, with 6 to 7 mg. in man, tautness of muscles and twitchings occur ; and that with toxic doses, convulsions and other phenomena appear. The British Pharmacopoeia maximum dose is well below the toxic dose, and therefore it was considered safe to take the maximum B. P. dose + 25 per cent ; as a safeguard it was proposed to keep ready an ampoule of any one of the barbiturates, so that if the train of untoward symptoms set in it may be administered.