Colchicinum

Volume II — Main text

Colchicinum.-C17H19NO3 . 1. Provings.- 1 . HEINRICH took 0.01 grm. of colchicine, and soon after experienced eructations and great nausea, with augmentation of saliva. Nausea lasted some h. even after supper, which was taken without appetite. Pulse fell gradually, II pulsations in first 2 h. Eight d. later took 0.02 grm. in a wafer ( past 4 p.m.). No change in pulse for 2 h. Until 8 p.m. no symptoms except eructations and slight ptyalism ; supper without appetite. After 10 p.m. broken sleep, from which he was woke at past I by painful dreams. Desire to go to stool, but he had scarcely left his bed when nausea increased, and vomiting came on for 2 m., at same time soft and copious stool with violent griping. These symptoms recurred three times at short intervals. The first vomited matters consisted of undigested dinner and supper, then a greenish-yellow, bitter liquid. Slept from 3 till 6, then vomited and evacuated abundance of mucilaginous, greenish-yellow liquid. Vomiting ceased from that time, but eructations, nausea, and total loss of appetite lasted for 4 d. Only a little cold water taken on first d., and on the others a little soup. Abdomen was tympanitic, sensitive, and gurgling. On 2nd d. two stools, on 3rd one, and on 4th three, accompanied with griping, and containing, particularly on 2nd and 3rd d., flocculi like white of egg. Weakness, considerable on Ist d., increased on appearance of febrile phenomena. Was obliged tokeep his bed Ist d., and only left it with difficulty on the others. Fever commenced about middle of Ist d., shivering followed by great heat lasting several h., with thirst, much accelerated pulse, cerebral distress, agitation and want of sleep. Sensibility of abdomen disappeared only on 4th d. Urine was thick, and had an abundant white deposit ; its quantity could not be determined. (SCHROFF, Est. Zeit. f. prakt. Heilk., 1856.)

Volume IV — Appendix

(See Tol. ii, p. 343.)

III. — I. C. produces in animals complete loss of sensibility, due to paralysis of both peripheral and central nerve-endings ; hence reflex excitability is abolished, but motor nerves and muscles retain their excitability till death ensues. Heart continues to pulsate even after the paralysis of the central nervous system has commenced ; blood |HVssure remains long unchanged } and paralysis of the inhibitory nerves of the heart occurs at a late period. Respiration becomes gradually less frequent until it is entirely arrested, in warm-blooded animalS) especially in cats, the mucous membrane of the whole gastric and intestinal tract is swollen and strongly injected, and the intestines contain bloody mucus. There is diarrhoea, vomiting, and colicky pain during life. The kidneys are strongly hyperxmic and their secretions diminished. The action of C. is slow. Death occurs only after several h., and amount of dose has scarcely any perceptible influence on the intensity or rapidity of the action of the poison. (ScHROFF, ep. eit.)