CARBONEUM OXYGENISATUM.
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Carboneum oxygenisatum, Carbonous oxide, CO. This gas may be obtained, in a state of purity, by the action of Sulphuric acid upon Ferrocyanide of Potassium; it is soluble in water (about two per cent. at ordinary temperatures).
Authorities. [But two of the authorities selected refer to the action of the chemically pure gas, viz., Nos 10 and 32 , the others refer to the effects of gas from smouldering coal, a mixture of the Carbonous oxide, and Carbonic dioxide, with some vapors of volatile carbon compounds; the effect of the gas is due to the very poisonous property of the carbonous oxide. The attention of therapeutists is particularly called to the peculiar headache, the trismus, and the hemiplegia caused by this substance]
1 , Meglin, Journ. de Méd., 1786 (Frank's Mag., 1, 765), five cases of poisoning from coals in an open vessel in a room; 2 , Berthold, Hencke Zeit., 1830 (Fr. Mag., 3, 224), several cases, same cause as the last; 3 , Schrœder, Rust's Mag., 1830 (Fr. Mag., 1, 553), several cases, same as last; 4 , Wagner, Hufeland's Journ., 1836; 5 , Hergenrother, Med. Corr. Bl., Bayer, 1841 (Schmidt's Jahrbucher, 34, p. 26); 6 , Mark, Bayer. Corr. Bl., 1843 (S. J. Suppl., Bd. 4); 7 , Demeures, Bull. d. l. Soc., homœop. de Paris, 1849; 8 , Buchner, All. Hom. Zeit., 28, 158, 1850; 9 , Piorry, Gaz. des Hôp., 1851 (S. J., 70, 175); 10 , Chenot, a chemist, L'Union, 1850, poisoning, from inhaling the pure gas; 11 , Gaz. des Hôp., 1857, poisoning of three women; 12 , Jachimowicz, Zeit. f. Ver. Oest., 1857; 13 , Ozanam, L'Union, 1857 (S. J., 94, p. 26); 14 , Freund, Om. Schr. f. Geburt., 1858 (S. J., 104, 190), poisoning of a woman seven months pregnant; 15 , Siebenhaar and Lehmann, S. J., 101, p. 274, 1858; 16 , Thompson, Edinb. Med. Journ., 1860; 17 , Hasse, Pr. Ver. Zeit. 1859 (S. J., 105, 41), poisoning of five soldiers; 18 , Brit. Med. Journ., 1862; 19 , Oest. Zeit., 1862 (All. Hom. Zeit., M. B., 7, 34); , Leudet, Virch. Archiv. (S. J., 127, 24), 1865; , Klebs, Virchow's Archiv., 1865 (S. J., 127, 17); , Leudet, as last; , Pirain, S. J., 127, p. 24, 1865; , Huber, All. Milit. Zeit., 1865 (S. J., 127, p. 162); , Gull, Lond. Lancet, 1866 (S. J., 133, p. 33); , Faure (S. J., 92, 220), Archiv. Gen., 1856, general treatise on asphyxia; , Maclagan, Edin. Med. Joun., 1868, three cases; , Linas, Gaz. Méd. de Paris, 1869; , Sulzer, All. Hom. Zeit., 1873 (Hahn. Month., 8, 519); , Hirt, in Ziemssen, Handbuch der Spec. Path. and Therap., Band 1, general statement; , Martin, Casper's Vjhschft., 25, 197, several cases; , Prof. Leeds, Phil. Med. Times, 1870, inhaled about a gill of the pure gas.
MIND
- Emotional.
- Condition resembling intoxication the whole day, 34.
- A woman was found upon the street half unconscious, talking senselessly, screaming violently, only able to say that several of her family were similarly affected; after she got to the house was taken with a violent shaking chill, followed by decided heat, 4.
- Spasmodic crying, 2.
- Screaming and convulsions, 26.
- Patient depressed and stupid, 25.
- Sadness and despondency, 10.
- Frightful anxiety, and instinctive impulse to seek change of air, while he felt powerless to overcome the paralysis of his muscles and move from where he sat, 2.
- Great anguish, 29.
- Apathetic, 17. [10.]
- With the lassitude, an unusual apathy, and indisposition for any muscular exertion, 28.
- After supper, felt buoyant and in good humor, an effect never produced by tea; this mental sensation soon passed over into an irritable and sarcastic one, so that I sharply criticized an article in a medical journal, which a few hours ago I hardly thought worth that trouble, and threw away in disgust a book of reference, as flat and superficial which I highly value at other times, 29.
- Intellectual.
- Mental inactivity, 3.
- Mind sluggish, 20.
- Very contracted range of ideas, 7.
- Incapacity to draw inferences, or to compare ideas, 7.
- Confused ideas, 2.
- Felt in a very confused and stupid state, 27.
- Confusion and stupefaction of the senses and intellectual faculties, amounting at last to complete unconsciousness, 15.
- Answers only with difficulty, 23. [20.]
- On attempting to describe their sensations (according to letters left by suicides) the first few lines are well written, afterwards phrases are incomplete, and at last there are only words and letters, 26.
- Dull and ever-changing images passed before my mind, but I felt unable to concentrate my mind on any one, 29.
- Memory much impaired; remembered nothing of his attack; could not answer questions correctly for two days, and was not able to resume his occupation for a month (after three days), .
HEAD
- Confusion and Vertigo.
- Gloomy confusion of head, 12.
- Inclination to turn in a circle, 26.
- Tendency to vertigo, and to turning in a circle, 26. [40.]
- Vertigo, 3, 9, 15 , etc.
- Vertigo, to staggering and falling, 28.
- Vertigo, with flickering before the eyes, 21.
- Vertigo, and turning black before eyes, 2.
- Vertigo, and temporary darkness before the eyes, 12.
- Continual vertigo, especially on rising after lying down, 12.
- Giddiness, 18.
- Giddiness and trembling, so that he fell to the ground, 31.
- On rising up, staggered, was obliged to hold fast to something, and sank exhausted into a chair, 29.
- General Head.
- Heaviness of the head, 28. [50.]
- Heaviness of the head, without vertigo, 7.
- Excessive heaviness in the head, 12.
- Dull heaviness of the head, 29.
- On rising, heaviness of head, which lasted all day (second day), 7.
- Sudden pain in head, 31.
- Headache, 1, 3 , etc.
- Headache and vertigo, for several days, 4.
- Headache, especially in the temples, together with violent pulsation of the temporal arteries, 21.
- Headache, beginning in the morning, and spreading throughout the whole head, but felt chiefly in the occiput, which seems pressed outwards. The nape of the neck seems swollen when touched; the whole posterior portion of the head from about the summit of the occipital bone to the base of the neck seems tense, swollen; the head can hardly be moved, 7.
- Headache commenced generally with confusion and heaviness of the head, and dull undefined pressure in the temporal region, it then gradually increased and extended from the temples forward and backwards, encircling the whole head; usually it increased rapidly to an extreme severity, . [60.]
EYE
- Eyes weak and dim, sunken, 8.
- Eyes wild, staring, 2.
- Eyes weary-looking, 12.
- Eyes distorted in the orbits, 10.
- Eyes fixed and insensible, 1.
- Eye hyperæmic, 25.
- Eyes half-open, staring, 3.
- The eyes are contracted and sunken, 7.
- Eyes staring and protruding, 1.
- Idiotic staring at one point, 29.
- Lids. [90.]
- Lids and lips bluish-red, 3.
- Conjunctiva.
- Vessels of conjunctiva injected, 1.
- Conjunctiva dull red, 3.
- Pupil.
- Pupils dilated, 8, 22, 25.
- Pupils somewhat dilated, 12.
- Pupils dilated and insensible, 31.
- Pupils contracted, insensible, 16.
- Pupils become insensible to the light, and the conjunctiva to foreign substances, 26.
- Vision.
- Dim sight, 12.
- Almost constant dimness of sight and vertigo, 28. [100.]
- Dimness of vision, with flickering and fluttering before the eyes, 15.
- Vision obscured, 2.
- Flickering before the eyes, with vertigo, 30.
EAR
- Noise in ears, 18.
- After a short time, confused sounds in the ears, which are exceedingly painful; afterwards there is a continuous dull vibrating, similar to the noise of a wagon, mingled with pulsating sounds, which at first seem to be indistinct and distant, but gradually become stronger; whilst lying in deep stupor, there is an incessant humming, which gradually disappears as consciousness returns, 26.
- Ringing in the ears, with various kinds of illusions of hearing, 15.
- Roaring in ears, 2, 12, 26.
- Troublesome roaring and singing in the ears, 28.
NOSE
- Violent inflammation of the nose and throat, which makes swallowing very difficult (second day), 16.
- Bleeding from the nose, 25, 27.
FACE. [110.]
- Looks anxious, 3.
- Face pale, 16, 22.
- Pale face, warm to the touch, 12.
- Very pale face, continued for several days, 4.
- Face livid, 2.
- The complexion had assumed the livid hue of death, 32.
- Cyanotic, 19.
- Face red, 12.
- Face red (four children), 4.
- Face red and puffy, 3, 25. [120.]
- Face bluish-red, 6.
- Face tumid, 8.
- Face puffy and reddish-brown, 1.
- Features distorted, 3.
- Convulsions of the facial muscles, 11.
- Lips bluish, 12.
- Lips and tongue rosy-red, 9.
- Jaws firmly clenched, 6
(and others).
MOUTH
- Tongue. [130.]
- Paralysis of the tongue, 11.
- General Mouth.
- Mouth drawn, 1.
- Saliva.
- Froth from mouth, 19.
- Foaming at the mouth, 16.
- While eating, flow of a slightly acid water into the mouth, which mingles with the food without causing disgust, 7.
- After supper, the mouth is lined with mucus so viscid that, on trying to spit it out, it sticks to the lips, 7.
- Excessive sensitiveness of taste and smell, which lasts four days, and goes on diminishing, until, in six days, these two senses are duller than formerly, 7.
- Appetite as usual at dinner, but bread and all sorts of food had a foul taste, even sugared rice-cake (second day), 7.
THROAT
- Dryness of the throat, 26.
- Pain in the throat, from swallowing saliva; lasted all night, 7. [140.]
- The sore throat continues, and extends to the right ear (second day), 7.
- Violent burning pain in the fauces, 26.
STOMACH
- Appetite and Thirst.
- In the afternoon, three hours before supper, sudden paroxysm of hunger, which soon ceases without eating (second day), 7.
- No inclination to eat, 7.
- Anorexia, 20.
- No appetite, but food relished well, 7.
- Disgust for everything, 10.
- Thirst, 20.
- Nausea and Vomiting.
- Felt sick, and retched once or twice, 18.
- Nausea, 9, 16. [150.]
- Slight nausea, 32.
- Nausea and vomiting, 3, 25, 29.
- Nausea and vomiting every now and then; the stomach could bear only liquids in very small quantities, 28.
- Vomiting, 26, 27, 31.
- Repeated vomiting, 14.
- Vomiting after meals, 28.
- Vomiting, caused by the smallest quantity of food, 28.
- The stomach was so irritable that everything taken was immediately vomited (second day), 16.
- Pressing on abdomen causes vomiting of a yellowish, almost fecal-like fluid, 1, 9.
- Stomach.
- Digestion disturbed, 10. [160.]
- Very severe and obstinate pain in the epigastric region, 28.
ABDOMEN
- Pains in the abdomen, 5.
- Frequent crying out that they had pains in the abdomen; it, however, was not distended or tense, 4.
- Violent pains in the bowels, 4.
STOOL
URINARY ORGANS
- Kidneys and Bladder.
- Pains in kidneys, 1.
- Paralysis of the bladder, 17.
- Bladder remains paralyzed a long time, 17. [170.]
- Paralysis of the bladder lasted nine days after the attack, 26.
- Micturition.
- Involuntary evacuation of urine and fæces, 26.
- Urination from the first became more and more scanty, 28.
- Urine.
- Urine contained sugar, 17.
- Sugar is found in the urine (Sneff), 30.
- Urine contains a trace of sugar, 25.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
- Larynx, Trachea, and Bronchi.
- Rattling of mucus in air-passages, 1.
- Bloody mucus is raised from the bronchi, 26.
- Respiration.
- Respiration audible, almost rattling, slow, stertorous, 3.
- Respiration rattling, 19. [180.]
- Respiration rattling, now and then intermitting, 6.
- Stertorous breathing, 31.
- Expired air of a peculiar smell, 19.
- The expired air felt, to the back of the observer's hand, cooler than usual, 28.
- Respiration is for a long time quiet, but afterwards it becomes accelerated, frequently with extraordinary energy and rapidity; expiration is quick, inspiration deep, rattling; later there occur periods of complete intermission, followed by four or five inspirations, 26.
- Respiration slower, 8.
- Respiration slow, 19.
- Respiration slow, frequently interrupted by yawning and sighing, 28.
- Respiration very soon becomes slow and stertorous, 30.
- Breathing now rapidly, now slowly (four children), 4. [190.]
- Respiration 24 (after one hour), 25.
- Respiration 20 to the minute, 25.
- Respiration short and rapid, 5.
- Expiration greater than inspiration, 1.
- Respiration oppressed, 12.
- Respiration difficult and interrupted, 1.
- Respiration very labored, 1.
- Somewhat impeded respiration, 12.
- Sense of suffocation, 2, 10.
CHEST
- The chest had ceased to expand and contract, 32. [200.]
- Emphysema of the lungs, with some bloody sputa, 23.
- Remarkably weak vesicular murmur on auscultation, 28.
- Felt as if a stream of warmth passed from the abdomen into the chest, and thence into the head; it roared in his ears, it affected his respiration; he rose, and after tottering a few steps, fell down, attacked by sudden vertigo, 12.
- Complained now and then of anguish and anxiety in the chest, 28.
- Sense of a burden on the chest, 12.
- On breathing, feeling as if a heavy load on chest, 2.
- In chest, severe tearing pain, 10.
HEART AND PULSE
- Præcordium.
- Intolerable pain in the region of the heart, 11.
- Præcordial anxiety, 26.
- Heart's Action.
- Palpitation, 3. [210.]
- Violent palpitation, 2.
- Violent palpitation on exertion, 2.
- Pressure in præcordial region produced violent palpitation, a rapid, weak, trembling contraction and expansion, 3.
- Desire to loosen clothing on account of palpitation, 2.
- The action of the heart and of the lungs gradually decreased, 26.
- Feeble action of the heart, 12.
- Action of the heart slow and weak, 28.
- Beating of the heart alternately increases and diminishes, 26.
- The beating of the heart is at first increased, but afterwards it becomes slower, 26.
- Beating of the heart at first strong, frequent, even amounting to palpitation, although associated with slow respiration; at last it becomes irregular and intermitting, 15. [220.]
- The action of the heart is at first strong and rapid; it afterwards becomes very irregular, so that there is an intermission after four or five pulsations; the intermissions become prolonged on the approach of death, and afterwards become more frequent, so that they intermit every three or four beats, 26.
- Pulse.
- At night, in bed, pulse high, rapid, 120 beats occupying a short time, 7.
- Pulse 100, 25.
- Pulse regular, 80, weak, 25.
- Pulse 72 (after one hour), 25.
- Pulse rising and falling (varying between 144 and 88), 17.
- Pulse small, rapid, 22.
- Pulse rapid, very small, 19.
- Pulse slow and full, 8.
- Small, slow pulse, 12. [230.]
- Pulse small and slow, scarcely to be felt, 1.
- Pulse full, 68, 16.
NECK AND BACK. [240.]
- Soreness of all the cervical muscles while exerting the brain (second day), 7.
- Burning pain at the right scapula, which soon ceases (second day), 7.
EXTREMITIES IN GENERAL
- Extremities flexed, 10.
- Feeling as if the left upper and lower extremities had gone to sleep and could not be moved, 24.
- Inclination to stretch the extremities, 29.
- Clonic cramps in the extremities, 25.
- Clonic spasms of the extremities, 31.
- Trembling of limbs, 1.
- Convulsions in limbs and stiffness in joints, 2.
- All limbs convulsed, 1. [250.]
- Great weariness of the limbs, 9.
- Paralysis of the left arm and left leg continues after the attack, 9.
- Complete paralysis of the right foot and right hand, and also of the muscles of the right half of the face; persisted after the attack, 26.
- Pains in the extremities, followed by paralysis, 15.
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Arms flexed, could not be extended, 6.
- Tossing about of the arms, 16.
- The chorea-like movements of the right arm continued for some days, only on waking, 20.
- The arms and hands are without strength (second day), 7.
- Spasm of flexors of forearm, 19.
- A remnant of pain in the left knuckle-joints, caused by a fall on the ice six months before, returned with increased severity, and extended to the corresponding parts of the right hand (second day), 7. [260.]
- Fingers clenched, 6.
- Numbness of three fingers of the right hand; the fingers can only be extended with difficulty, 22.
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Trembling of legs, 2.
- Attempted to rise, but was unable to do so; legs stiff and powerless, 2.
- The legs can scarcely sustain the body (second day), 7.
- The weakness in both legs continued to increase, to complete paralysis of the right and incomplete paralysis of the left, 20.
- Thigh.
- Occasional shooting pains in the right nates, just where the ischiatic nerve emerges; there was noticed at this point an elliptical red spot half as large as the hand, without any trace of blisters, only the skin seemed to be somewhat puffy and elastic, without fluctuation, 20.
- When sitting on a low chair, the gluteal muscles are painful, as if he had just got up after a severe sickness and was much emaciated (second day), 7.
- Leg.
- Extension of the right leg became difficult (second week), 20.
- When putting on his garters in the morning, they cause pain, and he is obliged to tie them so loosely that they slip down (second day), 7. [270.]
- The pains in the nates extended along the sciatic nerve, and the external popliteal nerve, down to the foot; no pain on pressing on the os ilium or on moving the leg, 20.
- Toes.
- Toes could not be moved (second week), 20.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS
- Objective.
- Extreme emaciation followed the attack, 17.
- The first effect is a stage of complete rest, 13.
- The second stage is one of excitation, characterized by contractions and convulsions, 13.
- Trembling of whole body, 1.
- Body stiff, 1.
- Hemiplegia (persistent), 21.
- Paralysis of the sphincters, 30.
- Sphincters relaxed, 1. [280.]
- Cramps, 16.
- Tonic cramps, 16.
- Spasms, without loss of consciousness, 25.
- Spasms, returning every five minutes, with loss of consciousness and loss of speech; the head was drawn spasmodically backwards, the arms stiffly extended; the spasms especially affected the cervical muscles, 25.
- Violent spasms, 2.
- Violent spasms, at first usually clonic, afterwards generally tonic, becoming tetanic, 15.
- Tonic spasm of most of the muscles of trunk and extremities, so that it is difficult to make patient sit or lie, 19.
- Repeated convulsions, 17.
- Epileptiform convulsions, which were renewed every time the patient was touched or spoken to, although he lay quite still and apparently unconscious, 25.
- Disinclination to labor, 29. [290.]
- Great lassitude in hands and feet, 12.
- Weakness, 1, 8.
- Weakness of the muscles, 26.
- Extraordinary weakness, 16.
- General debility and malaise, 29.
- Felt his strength fail him, 18.
- Every voluntary movement, even speaking, difficult, 8.
- Rising and walking seemed a most tremendous exertion, 29.
- In morning could not rise up, 8.
- Prostration, 1, 3. [300.]
- Great prostration, .
SKIN
- General.
- Skin bloodless; the veins show through it blackish, 10.
- Surface of body reddish-livid, 27.
- Bluish, cyanotic color of the entire skin, especially of the face, neck, antero-superior portion of the chest and back of the hands; on all which parts the skin was actually slate-colored; this color was also noticed on the mucous membrane of the lip, 28. [330.]
- The skin assumes a violet color; the veins are swollen; the lips and conjunctiva are cyanotic, 26.
- Purple maculation of the skin, 27.
- The skin had lost its normal tone and elasticity; when pinched, the folds remained for some seconds and disappeared slowly, 28.
- Along the course of the radial nerve in each forearm a linear redness, without swelling of the subcutaneous cellular tissue, more on the right than on the left side, 22.
- Circumscribed spots on the anterior surface of the left forearm and on the inner surface of the left lower leg, which were totally insensible to pricking and pinching (sixth day), 24.
- A brownish ecchymosis, as large as the palm of the hand, on the lower portion of the sacrum, 22.
- Eruptions, Moist.
- The whole skin was covered with large and small vesicles of pemphigus (sixth day), 17.
- Herpetic vesicles on the temple in the place where the redness had been noticed, 22.
- Herpes zoster on the left side of the face along the course of the trigeminus; vesicles on the forehead, above the orbit, along the course of the ramus frontalis, the cheek below the orbit, along the course of the ramus frontalis, on the cheek below the orbit, along the terminal filament of the infraorbital nerve of the chin, along the mental nerve (eleventh day after the poisoning), 23.
- A dozen herpetic vesicles, as large as a pin's head, on the inner portion of the right forearm, somewhat externally to the place where the redness had been noticed; the subcutaneous tissue seemed to be somewhat swollen, 22. [340.]
- About twenty herpetic vesicles, as large as a pin's head, along the course of the right sciatic nerve, situated upon a slightly red base; from them some red streaks extend up to the right nates, and from the point of exit of the sciatic nerve to the crest of the ilium, 22.
- Abscesses form upon the chest and upon the left nates, caused by subcutaneous ecchymosis, .
SLEEP AND DREAMS
- Sleepiness, 15.
- Great sleepiness for several days, 4.
- Drowsy, but unable to sleep on account of the headache and pains in the stomach, 28.
- Somnolence, 23.
- Sound sleep (third night), 7.
- Sleep deep and prolonged, interrupted by cramps in cheeks and toes, 10. [350.]
- Never slept so long before, 27.
FEVER
- Chilliness.
- Cold mottled skin, 5.
- The temperature of the body was rapidly falling, 32.
- Bodily temperature remarkably lowered; skin cold, giving to the touch an impression like that caused by contact with a corpse some hours after death, before it is quite cold. Temp. in the axilla, + 34.6°; in the mouth, 35.2°, 28.
- Temperature 38° Cent., 25.
- Coldness, 10.
- Sensation of coldness in the whole body, 24.
- The attack is followed by long continued sensation of coldness and general trembling, which may last for weeks, 26.
- Severe chill, with chattering, 2.
- Violent febrile chill, for several days, 4. [360.]
- Violent and continued shaking chill, 14.
- Daily repeated chills, with a sensation of a heavy dragging up of the abdomen when walking and standing, 14.
- Chilly all day, 7.
- Cool extremities, 12.
- Extremities cold, 1, 22.
- Extremities cold and numb, 11.
- Hands and feet cold, 3.
- Hands icy cold, 12.
- Heat.
- Febrile symptoms, 17.
- At night, in bed, burning heat all over, without thirst; despite this heat and fever, slept lightly until 1 A.M., after which increase of heat, with thirst and dry mouth; the thirst was satisfied by drinking only a little; the heat, as well as the thirst and fever, now gradually diminished, and the bed, which had hitherto been too warm, was now too cold, so that he had to have more covering; sleep returned, 7. [370.]
- Sensation of warmth in chest and abdomen, similar to that caused by spirituous liquors, but the hands and feet remained cold, 12.
- Sweat.
- Skin covered with sweat, 25.
- Beads of sweat over whole body, 10.
- A little sweat on the upper half of the body, in the morning, in bed, .
CONDITIONS
- Aggravation.
- ( Morning ), On rising heaviness of head; in bed, sweat on upper half of body.
- ( Night ), In bed, heat.
- ( In open air ), Felt worse.
- ( On breathing ), Feeling of load on chest.
- ( While eating ), Flow of saliva.
- ( After meals ), Vomiting.
- ( On rising after lying down ), Vertigo.
- Amelioration.
- ( Fresh air ), Marked relief, especially to heaviness on chest.
SUPPLEMENT: CARBONEUM OXYGENISATUM. Authorities.
33 and 34 , S. Plymptom, Bost. Med. and Surg. Journ., vol. xix, 1838, p. 325, Goodwin, aged twenty years, and Denvir, aged twenty-six years, put an iron kettle charcoal into their sleeping-room; 35 , Dr. B. E. Cotting, ibid., vol. liv, 1856, p. 142, F. J., aged twenty-three years, slept in a closed room with a coal fire; ( 36 to 41 , from Dr. J. Ch. Herpin, L'Acide Carbonique, Paris, 1864); 36 , effects of a bath; 37 , M. Rotureau, effects of a bath; 38 , Dr. Sequin, Annal. de Chem., vol. lxxxix, 1792, experimented on himself by inhaling the gas; 39 , Pilatre de Rozier, descended by a cord attached to the shoulders into the gas caused by the fermentation of beer; 40 , Attumonelli, breathed the air of a grotto laden with Carbonic acid gas; 41 , Herpen, general effects; ( 42 to 54 , from Friedberg, Die Vergiftung Durch Kohlendunst, Berlin, 1866); 42 , case of poisoning; 43 , a family were poisoned by sleeping in a room with coal fire; 44 , poisoning of a man; 45 to 54 , other cases; 55 , Dr. McD., New York Journ. of Hom., vol. i, 1873, p. 566, effects on himself of sleeping in the room with a Franklin stove, the draft being shut off; 58 , effects on Mrs. McD.; 57 , Dr. Quincke, Archiv. für Exper. Path. und Pharm., vol. vii, p. 101, the action of carbonated water.
URINARY ORGANS
- In a general way it produces a sensation of warmth and tension in the stomach, it excites the peristaltic action of the stomach and intestines, promotes the appetite and digestion, increases the secretions of the stomach, accelerates the respiration and pulse, and according to some authors, causes slowness of the pulse, and diminishes the temperature. The whole organism becomes freshened and energetic, and mental activity is increased. Large quantities cause vertigo and congestion of the brain. The secretion of urine is increased; carbonated waters are the best diuretics. The object of the present paper is to show the diuretic action of carbonated drinks by a series of observations. The subjects experimented on, healthy, with good and regular appetite; the hours for meals were fixed, and the food and drink were carefully estimated; the carbonated water was always taken in the morning fasting, after the bladder had been emptied; subsequently the urine was gathered every hour or half hour; the specific gravity noticed, etc. The first experiment was made in October and November, the drink used was distilled water artificially impregnated with Carbonic acid gas. 500 cc. were drunk at one time. The amount of urine in the different experiments on average showed an increase of 14.4 per cent. on the days in which the experiments were made. The specific gravity showed a corresponding diminution. The second experiment was made on a healthy person, somewhat chlorotic, æt. twenty-six years, appetite good and regular. He drank, in the morning fasting, a glass of artificial Pyrmont water in two portions, with an interval of ten minutes. Three times during the experiment he drank spring-water. The general average showed an excretion of 665 cc. of urine while taking the carbonated agent, 539 cc. when not taking it. A third experiment was made on a man with Pyrmont water, for eleven days, showing during the first three hours after taking the water an average increase of 36 cc. of urine, while the amount secreted during the first hour after the drink was diminished on average 25 cc. The fourth experiment was made on a man in the same way for sixteen days. The urine showed an average increase in the first three hours after the drink 34 cc. In all the experiments the result was the same, increased secretion of urine after the Carbonic acid, 57.
EXTREMITIES
- Loss of motion and sensation in the right arm, followed by atrophy. The right leg was cold, somewhat heavy; the arm recovered under galvanism, after many months, 49.
- Incomplete paralysis of the left lower extremity, with serous infiltration of the foot, which was painful, not red; and along the dorsal surface of the metatarsus there developed numerous blisters, with brownish-red spots as large as a half dollar, 52.
GENERALITIES
- Paralysis of the right arm; involuntary evacuations; anasarca of the right arm; over the body various spots, which looked as though they had been burnt, where blisters developed, followed by suppurating ulcers; the whole right arm from the shoulder to the fingers was very much swollen, painful on pressure and motion; the whole right thigh was swollen, especially on the outer side, the skin seemed infiltrated; skin of the right side swollen, not painful; large suppurating sores formed in the right axilla; gangrenous spots on the back of the right hand; sores on the outer side of the right thigh, and on the inner side of both knees, becoming gangrenous, 54.
- Loss of consciousness for a long time; paralysis of the bladder; paralysis of the lower extremities; bed-sores over the sacrum; diabetes; abscess in the breast; violent convulsions, 53. [380.]
- Found in deep coma, followed by bronchitis, herpes of the lips, and sugar in the urine for three days after the poisoning, 45.
- Found in a comatose condition; afterwards pleuro-pneumonia of long duration, and transient diabetes, 44.
- Paralysis of the rectum and bladder; persistent idiocy, 48.
- Stertorous respiration, paralysis of the limbs, paralysis of the bladder, trismus, convulsions, pneumonia on the right side, 47.
- Paralysis of speech; hæmoptysis; recovery only after many months, 46.
- Loss of consciousness. Surface of the body cold. Stertorous respiration. Frothing from the mouth. After being aroused he complained of headache, difficulty of swallowing, dryness and scraping in the throat, causing cough; nausea; painful pressure in the epigastric region; confusion of the head; coma; chilliness; numbness of the hands and feet. On the third day, the feeling of paralysis had almost entirely disappeared, the pulse was 120, temperature 39.1°. The face was pale, covered with copper-red spots of various sizes and forms, which were also found on parts of the trunk and extremities. These spots varied in color, were darkest on the abdomen, and on the anterior portion of the left thigh, where they were as large as the palm of the hand. Tongue dry, covered with a brownish coat. The mucous membrane of the mouth and fauces swollen and injected. Pressure on the stomach painful. The bladder was distended above the navel. For two days the patient passed urine only with great effort, and very seldom. There was a short dry cough. Respiration 26; on deep inspiration stitches in the lower portion of the right half of the chest. Dulness in the lower portion of the right side of the chest; respiratory murmur impaired, with fine râles; through the other portions of the lungs were coarse râles with increased respiratory mumur. Urine evacuated with the catheter reddish brown. The bladder continued paralyzed; the patient developed pneumonia with infiltration of the right middle and lower portions of the lungs, inflammation of the pharynx and stomach, the vasomotors paralyzed; general loss of power and emaciation; inflammation of the skin; places formed blisters and ulcers, bed-sores; gradual recovery .
Weak , could not get up. This distress seemed so bad, before she arose, as though she was dying. It stopped menstruation, then three days advanced (usually runs six or seven days). The looseness of the bowels continued and gradually produced tenesmus, six passages in twenty-four hours. Coffee gave decided temporary relief for three hours, 56.
- Head, face, and neck livid, and greatly bloated, so as to destroy all recognizable features; the lower lip immensely swollen and turned outwards; the skin discolored and cold, without moisture; extremities quite cold; pulse varying in force and frequency, at times almost imperceptible, the number ranging at different times from 80 to 120; breathing labored, blowing, and irregular; eyelids closed, balls rolled up aslant, pupils varying somewhat but generally dilated; entire insensibility to outward impressions, even of the most painful character; no motion of any muscles except those concerned in respiration, which was chiefly diaphragmatic, 35. [390.]
- His appearance was that of a calm and tranquil sleep; countenance was of a pale leaden aspect; his lips and ears were livid; respiration inaudible at a short distance, extremely short and suffocative, with intervals of suspension; pulse rapid, small, and at times imperceptible; pupils contracted, but the retina was sensible to the impression of light; muscular system relaxed and powerless; he appeared like one whose functions and powers of the system were almost extinguished, 33.
- Face suffused and purple; expression of agonized suffering; the temporal artery distended and prominent; respiration rapid and sonorous, resembling a groan more than snoring; pulse moderately full but frequent; the muscles seemed rigid and contracted; pupils dilated; vomiting, 34.
- If a person be plunged entirely, with the exception of the head, into a bath of Carbonic acid gas at the ordinary temperature, there will be experienced a decided sensation of heat over the parts of the body in contact with the gas. This sensation of heat is pleasant, and may be compared with that produced by a fine soft garment of padding applied to the skin. If the bath be prolonged for a quarter of an hour, the sensation of heat becomes more intense, and accompanied by a peculiar prickling and tingling; in some persons whose skin is very sensitive it reddens, and there is experienced a burning heat. The whole surface of the body then transpires freely. The urinary secretion is decidedly increased. At last, after the gas has remained in contact with the skin for a longer time (some hours), the skin becomes numb, and anæsthesia takes place, so that pricking or pinching can be endured without sensation, 36.
- Normal condition, pulse 68, saliva alkaline, urine clear, acid, temperature in the axilla 26° R. At 9.46, I entered the cabinet containing the gas, and in one minute afterwards experienced a pleasant sensation of heat over all parts of the body. 9.50, the heat had decidedly increased, was especially pronounced in the pit of the stomach and in the internal portions of the limbs, especially of the thighs, associated with an agreeable tingling in the genital organs. 9.54, the heat had increased and was very difficult to bear; only the feet were somewhat cold. 9.56, experienced along the superior dorsal region slight prickling. 10.1, pulse remained the same; the body was very red and covered with perspiration. Extreme heat was felt over all parts of the body, especially in the palms. Two other persons were in the lower part of the same cabinet; they experienced different degrees of oppression. In one the respiration was very much oppressed, with very great desire to lie down. 10.7, my two companions were obliged to open the window; though I was not so greatly inconvenienced, still the fresh air was very agreeable. 10.16, my pulse had fallen to 60, all my limbs were very supple; the general sensation of health was increased. At another time the pulse fell to 52, and there was some pain in the head. Another person in the bath described the sensation as of a band above the eyes and a very severe frontal pain. The baths were frequently followed by violent itching over all parts of the body. After the bath the saliva was acid. The capillary circulation was much more active. The following were the effects of a bath taken in the evening, July 15th, pulse 76, respiration 19. I entered the bath at 5.10. At 5.13, the heat steadily increasing, the current of gas passing over the body causes an irresistible desire to sneeze. 5.15, burning heat between the shoulders. 5.18, respiration 16, pulse unchanged. 5.22, perspiration begins on the face. 5.25, sensation of burning heat very intense between the shoulders, and drops of sweat rolling down over my chest. 5.30, perspiration general. 5.40, pulse full, regular, 76; perspiration profuse. If one plunges the head into a bath of Carbonic acid gas, there is immediately experienced heat, especially about the face and eyes. The gas getting into the nose causes prickling in the mucous membrane, sneezing, and profuse secretion of mucus, .