Cundurango

Volume II — Main text

CUNDURANGO .

Gonolobus Cundurango, Triana. Condor plant of Ecuador. Nat. Ord , Asclepiadacea. I. Provings.- 1 . a. J. C. BURNETT, M.D., Dec., 1874, took 3 dr. of tinct. several times a d. for 5 to 6 d. About 3rd d. appeared very painful crack in r. corner ofmouth. As it got worse he left off drug, and crack healed in 2-3 d. A week later he repeated experiment with same result. b. Feb. 12th, 1875, took in e. Ziv of a fresh infusion, and repeated dose twice next m. In e. discharge of a good deal of glairy mucus from nostrils, alternating with unusual feeling of dryness in Schneiderian membrane. Took another ziv. 14th.-Repeated dose 5 times. 15th.-Has had restless dreamy sleep, urine scanty. Took zj twice. 16th.-Has had a very bad dull headache all d. along top part of brow, and front of hairy scalp. Last n. there appeared two large pimples, like incipient boils, on front of 1. thigh ; they are withering to-day. 17th.-Headache went off early last e.; on rising betimes this m. slight sharp distinct pain in heart, no anxious feeling with it, lasting only a m. or so, and followed by passage offlatus. At 10.30 a.m. took zij. 18th.-Felt a little nausea yesterday; was uneasy in n. and slept badly. Slight headache at top of forehead for last 18 h. At 11.10a.m. took ziij. 19th. A poor n., much snoring; a little nausea; urine high coloured, and loadedwithphosphates ; dullpains across small of back ; a few erythematous blotches inface. Feels miserable, and does not care to take any more of drug to-day. 2oth. -Feeling well again, took ziv at 10.30 a.m. 11.15, slight vertigo, with touch of headache as before, full and pressive feeling at bridge of nose. P.m., besides this pain in 1, then r. scapula, dull and continuous, and constrictive pain at heart. 21st. -In m. headache ; slight nausea as from r. hypochondrium ; urine thick; is told he does not look well. At 11 took 3v, and at 11.40 remainder (about ziiss) of infusion. 22nd. A very bad n. , much tossing about, yet feels rested in m.; lips unusually red ; dull feeling in forehead ; dull, heavy, continuous pain in 1. scapula ; does not feel well. At 11 a.m, took zvj of a fresh and apparently stronger infusion. In e. noticed a

large pimple on scalp. 23rd.-Bad n., especially towards m.; sense as if forehead were very broad and high,with dull feeling there. At 10.30 am. took zvij. P.m., small painful pustule at tip of tongue. 24th.-Pustule has broken and discharged, spot slightly painful; three small ones on face this m., and many on thighs. Schneiderian membrane at times very dry, nose stuffed up, and then great discharge of mucus; almost constant dull sensation across forehead ; urine scanty; sexual appetite depressed. At noon ziij. No symptom. c. 25th.- Feeling quite well, took 3j of tinct, at 12 m., and zij at 12.30 p.m. P.m , painful foul- smelling flatus. 26th.-Pustule on tongue, and several on various parts of body. About noon, several times, quite severe pain in r. hypochondrium lastingfor several m., similar but transientpain in l. scapula and tongue. At 5.50p.m., Zij, at 7.50, Ziij. At 7.30, pain inr. hypochondrium ; 8.5, heaviness in l.forehead. Several blotches on anus appeared on 28th, and on March 5th several small pustules on face and upper chest. 11th.-Blotches and pustules still present,but fading. Feeling quite well, began fresh infusion with zij pm. In 10 m. stuffed feeling in nose. 12th.-Sound dreamy sleep ; nose slightly uncomfortable ; lips unusually red ; slight transient pain in l. scapula. Took zviij more a.m. 1.40.-Whiledriving in m. once or twice felt sharp pain behind 1. shoulder, and now while writing peculiar tingling in l. fingers for 10 m. 14th.- Rather bad frontal headache all d. 15th.-Some small congenital warts unusually large, and seem fresh and red ; blotches on arms still visible, and a new one on clavicle ; dreamy n.; slight headache. 26th and 29th.-Two dessertspoonfuls of fresh infusion. 30th.-Dreamy n.; urine scanty; slight frontal headache ; blotches, which had faded, now red again, and two new ones have appeared. Drug very repugnant to him, and could take no more. April 24th.-Blotches on arms gradually getting pale, but still visible ; has had a good many indolent pimples; throat sore for weeks past, tonsils slightly enlarged, but no redness ; peculiar stiffness in nose for some time. (Brit. Fourn. ofHom., xxxiii, 401). 2. Sept. 25th, 1871 , I commenced taking gr. j of 3rd trit. of C. 3 times a d. for 5 d. On 5th d., at 10 a.m. , I was seized with violent pain in l. temple, which spread over upper part of brain to r. side of head, feeling as if someone was pulling up upper part of skull, with one half of brain; very great dizziness on stooping or turning head; pain increased up to 6 p.m., at which time it abated ; after which I visited a patient, and returned to my office. At this time there were objects before my r. eye resembling black serpents, jumping in all directions. On closing 1. eye found I could not see ; it seemed as though I was looking through a dense fog. At 7.45 p.m., I had my eye examined by two physicians, who could not discover anything wrong. At this time the appearance before the eye was like two black horns, with large black balls on the upper ends, and a mound of reptiles between them, their tips tapering off and tipped with black. Oct. 1st. When I awoke in m. obstruction in front of the eye appeared of shape of a pear with the large end up. Looking towards the light it appeared red, and on looking from the light it appeared purple. 2nd. Black spots have nearly disappeared; had the appearance ofcurled hair before r. eye, and a blur before the l. eye which made letters run together. 3rd.-I had my eye examined by an oculist, who found my retina very much congested. Ball before eye continued to diminish in size from d. to d. until Jan. 1st, 1872, so that I could see tolerably clear ; up to which time I was not able to recognise anyone in the street with my 1. eye closed. The drug also produced aching in throat, which extended to stomach, with great burning in stomach ; feeling of soreness all over body like rheumatism, and especially through 1. shoulder, and under l. scapula. (J. R. DINSMORE, M.D., Hahn. Monthly, viii, 65.) 3. Oct. 11th , 1875, 10 a.m. Took 3 dr. of tinct in oz. water. 1 p.m. , pulse slightly accelerated; took 3 dr. 3 p.m., feeling of fulness of stomach, pain in r. scapular region as if in bone, also pain about 4th dorsal vertebra. Took 3 dr. 5p.m., no pain pain in spinal or scapular region; slight creeping pain along periosteum of r. humerus. Took 4 dr. 8 p.m., headache, frontal; rigors; tongue feels as ifburned ; pulse slower than natural. Took 4 dr. 12th.-Had n. of intermittent sleep ; no fever or nervous excitement ; when awake, languid, with pulse slower than natural. Urinated several times during n. with urging. 13th.-At 8 a.m., stool, small, papescent, without any sense of aid from sphincter muscles ; some mucus mingled. There is now uneasy feeling, not quite a pain, in (I should judge) the iliac region. (I notice several chronic blotches on my skin are no longer visible. Also a puffiness

ofhands and feet, that I attribute to various causes,without knowing the real one, has subsided.) Took 5 dr. 5 p.m., no noticeable symptoms other than a weary ache in 1. kidney. Urinate frequently. At 9 p.m., 4 dr., itching of both legs along anterior and outer tibial region; pain under apex of scapula. At 10 p.m., 4 dr. Dull headache in frontal region ; increased pain in 1. scapular region; cardialgia, flatulence ; rigors ; pain in ball of left eye. Took 5 dr. 14th, 6 a.m., slept last n. as if narcotised, and awoke about 5 a.m. with severe cardialgia, which continues. Took 4 dr. 9 a.m., great itching in scapular region and on legs. Stomach-ache less. Apparent increased strength of legs when walking. Urinate frequently. Took 5 dr. 4 p.m. , pain in stomach so intolerable that I took gr. sulphate of morphia. 15th, 9 a.m. , had a narcotised sleep last n. from the alkaloid; pains gone; there is strangury (imputed also to the morphine). Took 5 dr. 11 a.m., much itching of skin on shoulders, over sternum, and on anterior surface of tibiæ. Took 5 dr. 9 p.m., have urinated frequently. There is dizziness and confusion ofmind, much itching ofskin; an acrid burned feeling of tongue ; uneasiness of bowels; constipation ; occasional darts of pain through kidneys; great stiffness of muscular system. Took 5 dr. 16th, 9 a.m., noappreciable effect from last dose. Took 10 dr. 17th, 8 a.m., since about anh. after taking last dose, severe gastric pains, mostly at cul-de-sac of stomach ; pulse small and slow; tongue coated brown; skin tinted brown; sight muchdimmed; still urinate frequently, at times with unusual quantity. (H. E. DIKEMAN, M.D., N. Engl. Med. Gaz., x, 486.)