It seems to me that it (the poison) differs in so many points from all present known venoms that it is worth our having. In the first place it is alkaline, and all other poisons of reptiles are acid. Second, its effect is not always sudden but is lasting—causing sickness for months and death even after a year. Again, although it does not produce paralysis it is not the tonic spasm, but rather the slow creeping death from extremities. It does not seem to excite but to depress.
(A supply of this poison was sent to Dr. Robert Boocock at his request for proving, and he made three different trials of it, the results of which were published in the Homœopathic Recorder for March and April, 1893; but as Dr. James E. Lilienthal has arranged the matter in schema form we will here only give fragmentary quotations from Dr. Boocock's papers, which are quite long, covering nearly thirty pages. The following is from Dr. Boocock's paper):
I am in my sixtieth year, sanguine, bilious temperament, fair complexion and weigh 160 pounds; height, 5 feet 6 inches. My normal pulse rate is 72, full, round and regular. I am in very good health. I do not drink alcoholic beverages of any kind, neither do I smoke nor drink strong coffee, or tea, or cocoa. My usual and favorite beverage is hot water with a little milk and sugar in it. If much sugar or salt is used my stomach gets very sour, and water-brash is the result. I therefore use very little of either, though I am very fond of sweetmeats.
When I received the first bottle of Heloderma horridus, I took a one drachm vial and filled it with the 6x trit., and dissolved it in four ounces of diluted alcohol, of which I took a few drops, dried my fingers on my tongue, and a severe feeling of internal coldness, so intense as to cause me to fear being frozen to death, ensued. I had some twitches about my heart, as if the blood was hard to get in or out. I was somewhat alarmed, but as I had no trembling I sat over the register and tried to get warm. The day was a very cold one, but my office was comfortably warm, and I had no consciousness of having taken cold.
I was not surprised at feeling this so soon after taking the few drops, for I know that I am very sensitive to any medicine and have a bad habit of tasting medicine, but never without being conscious of its effects, sometimes very unpleasantly so.
Now, to-day is warm and damp, thunderstorm this morning, although it is December 9th. The storm lasted three or more hours; lightning very vivid. I had already taken one drop of the 30th, with a very severe nervous headache, but I forgot that when I took the medicine. I have medicated 2 oz. No. 35 globules with 30th dilution, and having taken six globules as a dose before they were dry.
A feeling of heat in head and face, some headache over the right eyebrow. Cold feeling in my legs; after two hours a numb feeling around and down my left thigh; feeling very drowsy, so took a short nap in my chair. Was awakened suddenly with a jerking in my head. Central part of frontal bone so queer as to awaken me.
When my office bell rang it threw me into a startled and trembling condition, something new to me. At 5:30 took four globules more.
8 p.m. The pressure at my heart and in my head and scalp is very great. A feeling of great heat and some pressure. Not so much burning in my face, but a feeling on my left cheek as if being pricked with points of ice. A very severe and tired feeling, with coldness of legs and feet. A slight dryness of my lips, with a tingling feeling and great dryness in my throat. Gurgling in the region of the spleen.
9:30 p.m. The pressure and heat on the top of my head appears like an inflammation of the meninges. It does not affect my mind; that remains clear, and I can think and read as well and as long as ever. No more medicine. * * *