Berberinum

Volume I — Main text

B6rb6rinu]ii.--An alkaloid contained in berberis vulgaris, hydnutiSj and \ other plants.

I. Pro'vittgj. — I. A nurse, «t. 40, complained of some haemorrhoidal «ynipti chiefly Itching and burning in arms, otherwise health good. She got from ^r 6th Feb., m. and c, i gr. On 5th and 6ih had bitter taste, hard scanty stool ^ diste of abdomen, pressure in chest anteriorly, great anxiety and restlessness, flu heat in facej e,, bad appetite, great weariness and prostration, could han~ great drowsiness by d,, lachr)'mosc humour, feels inclined to cry out aloud, ^^ aching, and dimness of eyes, swollen feeling of eyelids, red inner surface of liJ^P by artificial light like a veil before eyes, horrible pressive headache in forehead, i feeling in head. — 4th and 6th, After midnight profuse sweat. — 7th. ChiHine'Ssall i 8th, Very prostrated and chilly. The next d. all the symptoms gradually subsided the burning in eyes continued till nth, and the distension of abdomen, pressu head, and abnormal stools lasted some weeks. (Hesse, /sr. af.)

1, A labourer, act, 21, convalescent from smallpox, which had left behind 1 of edges of lids, got on 37th Feb., at 11.30 a.m., 10 gr, Atter 2 h, frequent bt| eructations and warmth and working all over body, frequent flushes of h^ and chest, with anxiety, feeling of working in abdomen, most in uml i frequent emission of flatus little appetite, frequent irritation with burning

pain, vertigo, out-pressing headache, as though head would sink down, in e. a copious feculent diarrhoeic stool with much straining, at n. profuse sweat. Next m. felt very weak in limbs, appetite returned. Afternoon 4 diarrhoeic stools, headache, heat, and vertigo continued and got worse in afternoon. In m. again profuse sweat. From this time the symptoms gradually subsided, but the stools continued loose till 8th March, generally 2 or 3 per diem, with some cutting. Eyes got better. (Ibid.)

1. A sewing girl, act. 21, quite healthy except tor pains with menses, took from 23rd to 26th March, m. and e., i gr. and on 27th and 28th, m. and e., 2 gr., altogether 12 gr. On 26th, after dinner and all afternoon intense thirst and flushing of face, especialTy on 1. side and in 1. eye. — 28th. Eruption of papules on thighs, which she had before, became increased, and itched much. — 29th. A considerable gelatinous sediment in urine, which was dark yellow. — 30th. Anorexia. During first days costive stools, in the m. chilliness over back, cutting boring sensation, afternoon and e. heat of face, chiefly in eyes and round about them ; sometimes cutting in abdomen ; the heat and burning in eyes were very severe on 30th and 31st, palpebral conjunctiva red ; when she washed her eyes with cold water she felt as if a skin were drawn over them. Sleep at n. disturbed by itching on thighs and disagreeable dreams. By d. always tired and sleepy. General weakness of limbs, especially legs, which pained her on going upftairs. (Ibid.)

2. A girl, set. 19, got 7 gr. She had only occasional cutting and pressure in abdomen. (Ibid.)

3. Herberger took 4 gr.in m., and had eructations ; cuttings and rumblings in abdomen, with copious fluid stools ; later, painless desire for stool, and thin evacuations without pain; weak, sick feeling. (Wibmer, op, cit.)

III. Experiments on Ammals. — i. Given to fowls in pills amounting to a quantum of 4 to 8 gr., with each day's food, the drug caused progressive loss of appetite, to the extent of producing marked inanition. (rHiLLiPS, op, cit.)