In the paroxysm of spasmodic asthma, the smoking of tobacco occasionally affords relief, especially in those who have not lost their susceptibility to its effects by habit.

Tetanus is among the affections in which the medicine has been used advantageously. Curling considers it one of the most effectual remedies in that disease, and thinks that more evidence exists of its efficiency than of that of any other single measure. it is usually administered by enema; but has also been employed in the form of a bath, made with a decoction of the fresh leaves. The former method is probably as effectual, and is more convenient. Analogy would suggest its use in poisoning. by strychnia; and a case is recorded in which the infusion, given in repeated doses by the mouth, appeared, after vomiting had been induced, to produce a cure. (Dr. T. O'Reilly, Dub. Med. Press, June 23, 1858.)

Hysterical convulsions have been treated by tobacco enemata, and by cataplasms of the same to the abdomen.

It may be employed, in surgery, to produce relaxation. Dr. Physick used to relate, in his lectures, the case of a female patient, with obstinate dislocation of the jaw, which could not be reduced by ordinary means. it was important to induce complete muscular relaxation. The state of her health forbade a resort to bleeding for the purpose. He determined, therefore, to bring about the effect by alcoholic intoxication; but found, very much to his surprise, after she had taken a pint of gin, that the object was not attained. Under these circumstances, he gave her a cigar to smoke. Before she had consumed it, she fell from her chair completely relaxed; and, seizing the opportunity, he succeeded in reducing the luxation.

As an anodyne, tobacco cataplasms have been found useful in rheumatic and gouty inflammation of the joints, toothache, and neuralgic affections of the forehead and temples. The smoking of a cigar or pipe also sometimes affords relief in the latter affections.

Externally tobacco has been used as a remedy in tinea capitis, psora, and other cutaneous eruptions; being employed either in the form of the fresh juice, infusion, or ointment. it is not impossible that it may prove serviceable, in those cases in which the disease is dependent on a parasitic fungus or animalcule, by destroying the cause; but much caution is requisite in its use, especially in children, when the skin is abraded.

4. Administration

Tobacco will usually vomit in the dose of six grains in a person unaccustomed to it. it is, however, almost never used by the stomach for the purposes above mentioned.

The infusion (infusum Tabaci, U. S.; Enema Tabaci, Br.) is made, according to the directions of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, in the proportion of a drachm to a pint of boiling water. The British directs somewhat less. it would be best always to adhere to our own officinal formula, for the sake of uniformity, and to prevent mistakes. The preparation is used only for injection into the rectum. One-third or one-half of the quantity may be administered at once, and repeated in urgent cases, at intervals of half an hour or an hour, until some effect is produced. instances of death are on record from two drachms, a drachm, and even half a drachm of the leaves given in this way. The remedy is generally used in very dangerous cases; and I suspect that the death ascribed to it has, in some instances, really resulted from the disease. I have never seen, nor, in this country, heard of fatal or even alarming effects from so small a quantity as half a drachm; though the remedy should never be administered without the most watchful care on the part of the practitioner.

There is an officinal Wine of Tobacco (Vinum Tabaci, U. S.), made, according to our national code, by macerating a troyounce of the powder with a pint of sherry wine. The dose is from ten to thirty minims.

The smoke is inhaled by means of a pipe or cigar. For its introduction into the rectum various instruments have been invented. One of the simplest is that of Gaubius, which consists of a pair of common bellows, with the muzzle covered with leather so as to avoid injury to the bowel. The smoke is introduced into the bellows through a funnel. it is said, besides a large proportion of nicotia, to contain sulphuretted hydrogen and hydrocyanic acid. (Chem. Gaz., Oct. 1858, p. 364.)

For cataplasms, a strong decoction, made with an ounce of the leaves to a pint of water, may be mixed up with an emollient substance, as flaxseed meal; or the powder may be similarly incorporated; or, finally, the dried leaves may be steeped in hot water till softened, and then applied moist, and gently pressed together, upon the part.

The alkaloid nicotia appears to have the property of opposing the expansive power of atropia on the pupil; and probably, therefore, is antagonistic to this principle in its operation on the sympathetic centres, acting on them with a depressing force, while atropia excites them. {Archives Generates, Dec. 1863, p. 756.) it would seem to be equally antagonistic to strychnia in its influence on the spinal marrow. it has been given, with favourable result, in several cases of tetanus. in one case, one-twelfth of a minim was administered every hour, and gradually increased to one-third of a minim every half hour; but, in consequence of faintness, it became necessary to decrease the dose again to one-quarter of a minim every hour. {Med. Times and Gaz., July, 1858, p. 112.) in cases reported by the Rev. Prof. Houghton, of Trinity College, Dublin, from half a drop to a drop was given at a dose, so repeated as to amount to four drops daily; and in one instance, which ended favourably, 44 drops were given in 11 days. The effect was to reduce the pulse from 130 to 88, and almost immediately to relax the spasms of the abdominal muscles, and those of the back and diaphragm. {Med. Times and Gaz., Oct. 1862, p. 442.) The alkaloid has been administered by Erlenmeyer, by subcutaneous injection, in the dose of 4 drops of a mixture of about one part of nicotia and 275 parts of water. {Ann. de Thérap., 1866, p. 31.)

The Empyreumatic Oil (Oleum Tabaci, U. S.) is sometimes employed in cutaneous eruptions, indolent or painful tumours, and ulcers, in the form of an ointment, made by rubbing twenty drops of it with an ounce of simple ointment. it should be used with great caution upon ulcerated or abraded surfaces. independently of the danger of constitutional effects, it may prove injurious by its local irritative property in excess. A case is mentioned in which, having been introduced into the hollow of a carious tooth to relieve pain, it produced severe inflammation, which extended to the periosteum of the jaw-bone, and eventuated in necrosis of that bone, requiring an operation for its removal. {Lancet, June 23, 1866, p. 684.)

An Ointment of Tobacco (Unguentum Tabaci, U. S.) was formerly made by boiling the fresh leaves in lard. Our Pharmacopoeia now prepares it from the powdered leaves, by first making an infusion, then evaporating to the consistence of a soft extract, and finally mixing the residue with lard. it is sometimes used in irritable ulcers, and cutaneous eruptions; but requires caution, as in the last-mentioned preparation.