Cuprum arsenicosum

Volume II — Main text

Cuprum arsenicosum. -Arsenite of copper, CuHAsO3 ; Scheele's green. I. Provings.-1 . a. Dr. GEO. S. FOSTER took gr. 1 of2x trit, March 26th, 1868. On 27th, tongue heavily coated brownish-white ; feels irritable and peevish ; constipated ; dark spots before eyes ; dizziness ; dull heavy aching in occiput ; general feeling of dulness in head ; debility ; no appetite. b. On April 5th repeated dose. Twitching and jerking of facial muscles of 1. side, between eye and corner of mouth, which was quite violent. 6th.-Two similar doses. Tongue much coated ; dizziness ; black specks before eyes ; much flatulent eructation. 7th.-Very restless ; nervous (or rather, nerveless). 8th.-Tongue coated white ; breath bad ; much itching of scalp last n. At II a.m. repeated dose. Peculiar tremulousness of tongue, with coolness of same, metallic taste ; tongue white ; itching ofscalp in e. 9th.-Took gr. Tongue still white, at back very thickly coated ; fulness of head, slight darting pains in temples. Ioth. -Tongue same ; rumbling in bowels, with sharp quick pains low down. 13th.-Severe pain under lower angle of 1. scapula, worse when moving or breathing, cannot take full breath without aggravating it ; tongue same. Pain lasted till 15th, with oppressed feeling about chest, as if constricted. (Dr. BLAKELY'S provings, Hahn. Monthly, iii, 519.) 2. Dr. R. C. SMEDLEY took, Jan. 1st-5th, 3-30gr. of 12th trit., with only feeling of weakness (once), cutting pain in stomach while eating (once), and distensive rolling sensation in brain, as if he would fall forward, after reading, going offin open air (once). From 10th- 12th took (in all) 75 gr. of9th trit. without effect, save aggravation of achronic itching on arms and legs. From 14th-17th took (in all) 245 gr. of 6th trit. P.m. on 17th urine had strong odour, like that of garlic. At 5 p.m. 6 gr. of 3rd trit. Nausea in e., with lameness of back. 18th.-Woke with nausea and bitter taste ; stiff lameness in back, returned while sitting after exercise. Took 26 gr. in3 doses today. Besides these symptoms, sense as of gentle rotary motion in head after study ; further aggravation of itching, made worse by scratching, and accompanied by small thickly studded elevations ; in e. boring pain in r. ear ; sharp pain in temples, worse in l.; pain in r. lumbar region and anterior portion of r. thigh ; chilly feeling over entire body, skin sensitive to contact with clothing, which produces chilly creeping sensation. Slight garlicky odour of urine. 19th.-Felt better on waking ; unusual thirst, easily satisfied ; cold food relished more than warm ; lumbar lameness still continues. At 10 a.m. took 15 gr. of 3x trit. At 2.30 p.m. twitches of pain in r. upper and 1. lower posterior molars. On 26th took 15 gr. of6th, on 27th 60 gr., on 28th 190 gr., on 29th 80 gr. without effect, save slight nausea, and a little unsteadiness in head after studying. Thirst and itching remained unabated for several weeks after last medicine was taken. Itching had never been more than slight previously ; now it was intolerable, requiring " raking,” so as to convert it into a soreness . (Ibid. ) 3. Dr. BLAKELY himself proved 12th, 11th, and 10th potencies ; VOL . II . 31

and seemed to have from all considerable temporo-frontal headache, with soreness of bones of head and face. (Ibid.) II. Poisonings.- 1 . Two children, a girl, æt. 4, and a boy, æt. 24, were suddenly seized in m. with violent sickness and vomiting of a light green substance, like bile diluted with water. The second time they vomited the mother observed amidst ejected matters some hard particles, which proved to be portions of an ornament containing arsenite of copper, which they had eaten that m. Both continued vomiting same green fluid every 10 or 15 m. during d., apparently returning copious draughts of water which intense thirst caused them to ask for continually. About noon they complained of pain in bowels, followed by copious but natural stools, after which pains abated. About 5 p.m. ipecacuanha was given, with draughts of tepid water. This increased vomiting for a time, same bilious fluid being more copiously ejected. Hydrated peroxide of iron was given, after which they were sick a few times only. For some time prior to this feet and legs of both were gradually becoming cold, pulse faltering at wrists, faces deadly pale. Hot-waterbottles were appliedto feet,andthey were wrapped in blankets ; shortly after this they sankinto a quiet and easy sleep, vomiting having entirely ceased. They sufferedmuch from thirst the following n., with slight Aushings of face, but next m. seemed well, save that girl complained of headache, and boy had trifling reactive fever. (BALLEY, Med. Times, xix, 507.) 2. A boy, æt. 3 , refused his breakfast, felt chilly, and was sick. At 10 a.m. he was seized with convulsions, for which he was put into a warm bath, and they soon passed off. At II he was in a semicomatose state, face placid, skin warm ; bowels had acted several times, stools passing involuntarily, watery, bilious, and very offensive ; no abdominal tenderness. In e. it was reported that slight convulsive twitchings of facial muscles had been observed ; he had been more feverish but now was less so; had not been sick ; bowels less freely open. Next d., 7 a.m., another child (a girl) had been seized with convulsions with violent shrieks, and some dysentery. First child was almost in state of asphyxia, skin cold, pulse feeble, face livid. He improved under stimulants, but p.m. was again seized with a severe tetanic convulsion, and from that time alternations of repose and convulsion (amounting sometimes to perfect opisthotonos) continued till he died at midnight, 38 h. from commencement of attack. P.M. Dejections from boy in napkin were deeply tinged with bile ; those from girl were ofdeep yellow colour. On inner surface ofstomach, at cardiac end, there were small red patches. Contents of stomach were 3v of chocolate brown fluid, of consistence ofgruel. A patch of large intestine was redder than usual. (METCALFE, Lancet, 1860, ii, 535-536.) 3. A girl, æt. 14, took oz. She was seized with severe symptoms, and brought to the hospital after 1I h. On Dr. Schaefer's arrival, vomiting had set in, vomit depositing a green sediment. She had sunken eyes, trembling of limbs, great thirst, burning sensation about throat, malaise ; spat up mucus streaked with blood; gastric region tender, and touching it gave great pain ; pulse 132. Later, there was pain in calves. Vomiting was encouraged by warm water and hydrated :

oxide of iron given, of which the first doses were vomited. After 2 h. she was no worse. As she had not urinated for 4 h., the urine was drawn off. Except headache, no other symptoms occurred on Ist d. She gradually improved, and on 4th d. had regained her appetite, but on taking food she had a sensation of pressure in region of stomach . Dismissed well on 9th d. (Zeitschr. derk. k. Ges. der Aertze zu Wien, March 8th, 1858.)

Volume IV — Appendix

CUPRUM ARSENICOSUM.

(See vol. ii, p. 481.)

II. 4. — E. L., female, set. 25, took a large but unknown quantity of Paris green with suicidal intent. Excessive nausea and vomiting with great pain and tenderness in epigastrium, followed in a few h. by a state of semi-consciousness from which patient aroused and became very restless. Anterior portion of chest very painful to touch ; auscultation shows rough breathing, and percussion diminished resonance. Tongue dry and white with red edges ; abdomen greatly distended, tympanitic and exquisitely sensitive. Patient is stupid ; bladder had to be emptied by catheter. Urinalysis after 12 h. shows albumen, fat, pus, and epithelium, with complete absence of phosphates. On 2nd d., patient is quiet and lungs almost normal. On 3rd d., tongue is dry with red streak down middle and white edges. (Honan, N. Am, yntm. efHom.y April, 1890.)

1. a, — Mrs. M. had been working off and on for two weeks in a potato patch, where Paris green had been used. When first called to see her she had been suffering for several h. from distress in the epigastrium, which had gradually increased until it became unbearable. It was remittent in character, exacerbations being accompanied by intense burning and feeling of weight. She described it later as if her stomach were loaded with a thousand red-hot irons, which were clawing her. The epigastrium was somewhat sensitive to pressure, and there had been some vomiting without relief. There was great restlessness and anxiety, patient rolling here and there almost constantly ; during the exacerbations she lay on her side, with knees drawn up, fists

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clenched, and face drawn in agony. There was no thirst at this time; pulse was 85 and good, temp. 99'2. Bowels were undisturbed. This condition had not come on suddenly, but there had been more or less gastric discomfort on alternate days for 7 — 10 d. previous, with some sore throat and sensitiveness of eyes.

b. Relief was obtained in about 40 tn., and she passed a comfortable n. Next d. she was feeling well, but for a slight headache, and continued thus till the 4th d., when at 8 a.m. she had a slight chill, and at 1 1 a very severe one — "shaking the bed for i h." At 1.30 she was sweating profusely, pulse no, temp. 103°. There was great and constant thirst for cold water ; she would have used it in quantity, had she been allowed. Tongue was coated white. There had been no sensation of heat following the chill. The same nervous restlessness was manifest as in the preceding attack, but with the addition of a foreboding of death. Next d., having had a good n., thirst was much less, and pulse 70. After another 3 d. interval, an attack similar to the first occurred ; but burning at epigastrium was less pronounced, and in its stead sharp pains darted across it, leaving aching in their track. Attack was soon relieved, and she passed into a quiet sleep. On d. before some herpes labialis had appeared, and urine had become high-coloured, and deposited a fine brick-dust sediment.

f. Again, on the 3rd d. following, she had a slight attack of gastric distress, which was soon relieved without aid ; and since then she had been well. The herpes remained for some d., and also a feeling of weakness. (J, S. Bishop, A^. E. Altd. Gaz.^ xxvi, 193.)