Colchicum has many different actions. It has an agency in the blood, being Antiarthritic. It is an Eliminative, acting on the liver and bowels. And it is also a General Sedative. To the combination of an eliminative with a sedative or anodyne action, the use of Colchicum in Gout has been, I think, erroneously ascribed. For in fact it seems to act best in this disorder when it causes no purging, and scarcely any action on the nerves. When it has been long used, it causes a great depression of the spirits, like that which may be caused by some undoubted blood-medicines, as Mercury. But it does not affect the understanding, or the special senses. In poisonous doses it depresses the circulation and the nerves generally, but it causes no stupor or insensibility. It is therefore not a Narcotic; but, like other Sedatives, it kills by syncope. In the behaviour of the system towards Colchicum, Aconite, Digitalis, and other nerve-medicines, there are two peculiarities which are worthy of remark. They are called _cumulation_ and _toleration_. Some quantity of the medicine may often be given, in repeated doses for some time together, without any apparent result. It seems to remain in the blood, and to become accumulated or stored up there. But all on a sudden it breaks out, appearing to be discharged on the nerves, and may produce very dangerous symptoms. This _cumulative_ action is especially observed of Digitalis, and therefore considerable care is required in the exhibition of that medicine. This medicine is a Special Sedative, and will be presently considered as such. In other cases we find that the nervous system becomes by degrees inured to the effect of a particular medicine, and suffers less by its presence than it did at first. This is called _toleration_. It is particularly observed of Colchicum and of Antimony, and of all medicines which act on the Vagus nerve so as to cause vomiting.