The patient, S. A. B., a woman, aged 20, American, a student, two days before the illness reported below, had a mild attack of enterocolitis due apparently to some irritating food she had eaten. Half an ounce of castor oil was prescribed and had the desired effect, and in twenty-four hours recovery seemed complete.
At 1 p. m., November 17, one day after recovery from this illness, I was summoned to see the patient, with the message that her former illness had returned. I found her in a state of stupor, answering questions very slowly, or indicating her answer with a grunt. She denied having taken any medicine of any kind since the dose of castor oil. The tongue was extended on request, in about half a minute. very slightly and very slowly. When I endeavored to take the temperature by mouth, she bit off the bulb in a convulsive