in gout. In larger doses
colchicum or colchicine acts as a most violent gastrointestinal
irritant, causing terrible pain, colic, vomiting, diarrhoea, haemorrhage
from the bowel, thirst and ultimately death from collapse. This is
accelerated by a marked depressant action upon the heart, similar to
that produced by veratrine and aconite. Large doses also depress the
nervous system, weakening the anterior horns of grey matter in the
spinal cord so as ultimately to cause complete paralysis, and also
causing a partial insensibility of the cutaneous nerves of touch and
pain. The action of colchicum or colchicine upon the kidneys has been
minutely studied, and it is asserted on the one hand that the urinary
solids are much diminished and, on the other hand, that they are
markedly increased, the specific gravity of the secretion being much
raised. These assertions, and the total inadequacy of the pharmacology
of colchicum, as above detailed, to explain its specific therapeutic
property, show that the secret of colchicum is as yet undiscovered.

The sole but extremely important use of this drug is as a specific for
gout. It has an extraordinary power over the pain of acute gout; it
lessens the severity and frequency of the attacks when given
continuously between them, and it markedly controls such symptoms of
gout as eczema, bronchitis and neuritis, whilst it is entirely
inoperative against these conditions when they are not of gouty origin.
Despite the general recognition of these facts, the pharmacology of
colchicum has hitherto thrown no light on the pathology of gout, and the
pathology of gout has thrown no light upon the manner in which colchicum
exerts its unique influence upon this disease. Veratrine is useless in
the treatment of gout. A further curious fact, doubtless of very great
significance, but hitherto lacking interpretation, is that the
administration of colchicum during an acute attack of gout may often
hasten the oncoming of the next attack; and this property, familiar to
many gouty patients, may not be affected by the administration of small
doses after the attack. Altogether colchicum is a puzzle, and will
remain so until the efficient poison of gout is isolated and defined.
When that is done, colchicine may be found to exhibit a definite
chemical interaction with this hitherto undiscovered substance.

In _colchicum poisoning_, empty the stomach, give white of egg, olive or
salad oil, and water. Use hot bott