By
EXPERIMENTS UPON MONKEYS WITH STRYCHNINE. Surgeon Theobald Ringer, 1th Cavalry, Nowgong.
In reference to my former communication published in the December number of the Indian Medical Gazette, page 267, I
lungoor," which proved proof against strychnine, succumbed to a few grains of cyanide of potassium, which, however, had to be administered by force, as the animal could not be induced to take it, although disguised in every possible manner. I now give the following experiments upon the Monkey Tribe," which are very remarkable :?2nd March, 11-10 a.m.?One grain of strychnine was given concealed in a piece of fruit to a lungoor' (presbytis entellus) which he eat readily ; this produced no effect. At 11-20 a.m. 3 grains were given, and at 11-30 a.m. one grain, the 5 grains had no effect whatever, the animal (as in the other case) not' only, ate, but appeared to relish the meal. 3rd March.?Tho monkey appeared as well and lively as ever. At 11-10 a.m. ten grains of strychnine were administered as may mention that the
"
"
"
before, but without any effect.
The same
quantity of quinine given in fruit, and the animal also devoured this as greedily, thereby showing that ho wa3 partial to "bitters." These experiments were thought conclusive in establishing the " immunity of the lungoor" to strychnine." 4th March.?Other experiments were made upon another species of monkey (the Bhuuder or Rhesus monkey, inuus was
then
"
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
204
rhesus) the common olive green brown animal met with in India, distinguished from the lungoor by having "cheekpouches" for the temporary reception of its food. 11-10 a.m.?One grain of strychnine concealed in fruit exactly in the same manner (as in the lungoor's case) was offered to the monkey. But on smelling it, the animal threw it away, and nothing could induce hiin to touch it. Three grains made into a bolus with atta were then forcibly administered,
" but the animal could not be made to swallow it, got the bitter water was poured into his and into his although pill" pouch,
cunning little brute managed to let the mass slip angles of his mouth. Three grains were now put into an egg-spoon, mixed with water, and forcibly introduced into the back of the throat, but the greater part of the dose came out at the angles of the mouth. He was now let off any further experiments for this day, and appeared quite well for upwards of an hour, eating and drinking as usual, when suddenly he was seen to fall down in convulsions, and expired half an hour afterwards with all the usual symptoms of strychnine poisoning. Thinking, perhaps, that strychnine in solution might be worth trying upon the "lungoor," the following day ten grains were dissolved in spirits of wine, and mixed with rum and water (cold) but sweet; the animal drank the grog with more than a monkey's gusto, and is as well as ever at the present mouth,
the
out at the
moment. Some
interesting facts
ls?.?The "
are
"lungoor"
elicited
can
be
by
these
experiments :? proof against
6aid to be
strychnine." 2nd.?That
"
pouch-cheek" monkey is susceptible to the poison, though at a longer time than is the case in the human being. 3rd.?The old saying that a monkey will never eat anything that is "poisonous" is clearly shown:?The "lungoor" readily eating and relishing the strychnine" which produced no ill effects upon him, whilst the pouch-cheek monkey at once refused the same, and fell a victim to the poison. And it will be an interesting fact to establish if other varieties of the pouch-cheek monkey are also susceptible of the poison. a
action of the
"
[Mat 2,
1S70.
EXPERIMENTS UPON MONKEYS WITH STRYCHNINE. Surgeon Theobald Ringer, 1th Cavalry, Nowgong.
In reference to my former communication published in the December number of the Indian Medical Gazette, page 267, I
lungoor," which proved proof against strychnine, succumbed to a few grains of cyanide of potassium, which, however, had to be administered by force, as the animal could not be induced to take it, although disguised in every possible manner. I now give the following experiments upon the Monkey Tribe," which are very remarkable :?2nd March, 11-10 a.m.?One grain of strychnine was given concealed in a piece of fruit to a lungoor' (presbytis entellus) which he eat readily ; this produced no effect. At 11-20 a.m. 3 grains were given, and at 11-30 a.m. one grain, the 5 grains had no effect whatever, the animal (as in the other case) not' only, ate, but appeared to relish the meal. 3rd March.?Tho monkey appeared as well and lively as ever. At 11-10 a.m. ten grains of strychnine were administered as may mention that the
"
"
"
before, but without any effect.
The same
quantity of quinine given in fruit, and the animal also devoured this as greedily, thereby showing that ho wa3 partial to "bitters." These experiments were thought conclusive in establishing the " immunity of the lungoor" to strychnine." 4th March.?Other experiments were made upon another species of monkey (the Bhuuder or Rhesus monkey, inuus was
then
"
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
204
rhesus) the common olive green brown animal met with in India, distinguished from the lungoor by having "cheekpouches" for the temporary reception of its food. 11-10 a.m.?One grain of strychnine concealed in fruit exactly in the same manner (as in the lungoor's case) was offered to the monkey. But on smelling it, the animal threw it away, and nothing could induce hiin to touch it. Three grains made into a bolus with atta were then forcibly administered,
" but the animal could not be made to swallow it, got the bitter water was poured into his and into his although pill" pouch,
cunning little brute managed to let the mass slip angles of his mouth. Three grains were now put into an egg-spoon, mixed with water, and forcibly introduced into the back of the throat, but the greater part of the dose came out at the angles of the mouth. He was now let off any further experiments for this day, and appeared quite well for upwards of an hour, eating and drinking as usual, when suddenly he was seen to fall down in convulsions, and expired half an hour afterwards with all the usual symptoms of strychnine poisoning. Thinking, perhaps, that strychnine in solution might be worth trying upon the "lungoor," the following day ten grains were dissolved in spirits of wine, and mixed with rum and water (cold) but sweet; the animal drank the grog with more than a monkey's gusto, and is as well as ever at the present mouth,
the
out at the
moment. Some
interesting facts
ls?.?The "
are
"lungoor"
elicited
can
be
by
these
experiments :? proof against
6aid to be
strychnine." 2nd.?That
"
pouch-cheek" monkey is susceptible to the poison, though at a longer time than is the case in the human being. 3rd.?The old saying that a monkey will never eat anything that is "poisonous" is clearly shown:?The "lungoor" readily eating and relishing the strychnine" which produced no ill effects upon him, whilst the pouch-cheek monkey at once refused the same, and fell a victim to the poison. And it will be an interesting fact to establish if other varieties of the pouch-cheek monkey are also susceptible of the poison. a
action of the
"
[Mat 2,
1S70.
