Aethusa cynapium

Volume I — Main text

JETUVSA.

Mtkusa Cynapium^ L. Fool's parsley. Nat. Ord., UmhelUfira,

I. PrMjin^j, — I. Nehhikg rfports vertigo, relieved on rush of heat into head, with incrca'scd warmth of whole body and rtdncss of face j »cnM? of swcUing of hc^-^d, ficc^ and hand^ in open air, disappearing in house j general throbbing headache ; in forehead, down-pre!ii*ing heaviness, painful throbbing and jerking, tearing (J.) ; in temple^ sticking and throbbing in limited f«pot (L) ^ same s«fnsations in vertex and occiput | burning in eyes j jeiking and sticking in cars, and stopped feeling in them, with hardness of hearing \ sudden stoppage of both nostrils for } h., 5 m. after taking^ recurring next m, j tearing in malar bones j sweetish taste; stitches in hypochondria, especially 1. ; sense of coldness in abdomen after each dose j tearing in muscles of neck and of forearm, also in foot. There svas a sensation in several parts as of a glowing hot needle being plunged into flesh. Most symptoms disappeared in open air| but soon returned in house. (Hartlaub and Trinks' Annalen, \)

4, Hartlaub had violent chill and external coldness In m. after taking do&e ; latter continued without thirst, for 1 d. On ist somnolence, on and great good humour. {IbU.)

1. Trinks observed violent pains in forehead^ as if head were compressed from behind and above with great force. {Ibid.)

2. Dr, T, Harley administered large do^es of juice of entire plant, of tincture of ripe and green fruit, and of fluid extract, to eight per«>ns of various ages and tcxei, without any appreciable effect following. He himself took freely tincture of fruit and 10 grains^ of oleo-rcsin, with same negative resuit. {St, 7h$mm^i Hospital Reports, N,S., iv, 80,)

3. Dr. T. F. Allen took Jij of expressed juice of plant without cifcct. (M Am. Jeurn, ofH^m.^ xxix, 495,)

4. T, W — took a drop of JE, every h. during d. from 7.30 a.m. to midnight. Immediate nau«ea was produced by earlier doses. At it a.in., this, at first referred to mouth and nharynjc only, extended do^Ti oesophagus into stomach, with rumbling and gurgling there and in upper bowels| and sense of fluttering in stomach, metallic slimy taste in mouth, with dryness. Forehead feels constricted, with sense of pressure as from within outwards. At 3 p.m. felt heat and pressure in forehead i at 5^ stuffy sen "vat ion in r, ear, with feeling of coldness, also round about it as rf in bone j at 7 aching in mastoid process. Noticed all d. that excretions (urine ainl perspiration) were increased, and secretions decreased. He aUo felt all in a glow, and perspired pas ly when walking home in a cold air* At 9 feeling in bowels as if diarrnoea was coming on. At 1 1 skin of hands (especially palms) dry and shrunken^ as if washed in lye. On ind d. woke with intense frontal headache, with sensadon of constrict ton from points vertically over each eye ; relieved by pressure. Took a drops every h. from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. By 9 headache had gone. At it, sensation or tension as from band passing round forehead and made fast at each zygoma* At noon, feeling as if he had caught cold^d a violent coryza was coming on. At i, sense ot heat and fulness in face, and pressure in frontal sinus and upper nasal passages. Nausea 5

feneral headache ^ excessive flow of pale urine. By 3, face was well, but he was beginning to look peaked and hollo w-cheeked. Feet and limbs were cold down to knees, were more so an h. later. At 11 sharp cramps in small intestines, localised in spots, and quickly shifting from place to place. At midnight took 10 drops and retired. At 7 a.m. on -jrd d» woke with seeining feeling in blood and heavy aching pain in lumbar and inter-scapular regions, abo sense of indigestible load in stomach, To^tk 20 drops, and again at 8. Food tasteless (as also on and d.). At it a.m. mouiU .ind lips dry j skin has a dry, white^ leathery, pinched look j cheeks arc sunken ; clothes seem loose. Felt nauseated all d. at sight of food ; and load remained in vtomach. On retiring had numerous fine sharp stabbing pains, lasting 5 m,, some of which were so sudden and violent as to make him cry out, (Allen's Encychpadia, x, 266.)

1. Mrs, P — took 5 drops of tinct. just before dinner. At once complained of heated, flushed feeling, with some nausea. In 5 m, drank some milk, and had to go into open air to keep from vomiting. In 5 m. more repeated dose, and drank Jtj oi milk ; after a m. took 5 drops more. Violent retching ensued, with vomiting of phlegm only. After 10 m. took 5 drops more, which made her deathly sick, but she could bring up nothing but phlegm. Throughout this time she felt constant nausea, and had sensation in upper bowels as if she had taken an aperient which was

• operating. Eyes got watery and face flushed and hot,

%, Mr. H — took 5 drops before supper. At once heat all over and perspiration on forehead. Drank Jij of milk, and took 5 drops more. Had nausea^ metallic taste in mouth, headache in forehead shooting upward and outward overdyes. He did not vomit, and in a few m, ate his supper* Headache, metallic taste and nausea continued rill bedtime, with heat from fauces to stomach and upper bowels, and pain in latter regions as from something hard and indigestible. Some remains of same sensations next m., and increased flow of urine of sweet odour.

1. E. H. L — took 3J of tincture in divided doses during % d., }^ on isf, Xvii on afternoon of and. There was slight uneasiness in stomach on istd., and Welded weight and heaviness there on and.

2. E. P. M — took 24 drop doses at 5 m. intervals. Pulse gradually fell from 7$ to 57, and became soft. After 6th dose a slight constricted sensation about head.

and after 14th slight nauva, and loose discharge from bowels, of yeHow ooUrar, ind sour smell.

II. Dr. St. Clair Smith took at 3.30 p.m. 180 drops. Immediately, burning in mouth, throat, and crsophagus, with profiise salivation and secretion of mucus in both mouth and throat ; this secretion continued for some 15 or so m., with qumlmishnessy and was soon followed by a feeling of dryness of tongue and throat. There was much dizziness ; and burning soon bejgan in stomach also, and gradually increased, accompainied with acrid eructations, of rancid taste} heartburn lasted some time after, with inclination to hawking. Some nausea, with water-brash of sour hot fluid : at one time vomiting seemed inevitable. Later, uncomfortable qualmish feeling in stomach ; also pain in forehead, a sort of crampy feeling, with diqMsi* tion to contract brows ; deep-seated sensation of coldness in transverse colon. iJater, crampy aching in malar bones; pain in forehead increased, and is decidedly uncomfortable ; occasional aching in occiput. Pulse, usually 76, after % h. is oo; and face is flushed. There was now weight in stomach, and uncomfortable feeling of indigestion, with uprisings of food (tasting spoiled) and hot liquid ; pain in bowels as if diarrhoea would follow, but it did not | crampy constriction in heart, with feeling as if he could not draw a deep breath, pulse regular $ same pain soon after in r. chest 1 aching in small of back. At 9 pjn. rapid sticking-shooting pain in I. temple and 1. ear, continuing till he went to bed. (Ibid.^

II. Dr. Brugmans took a few |rratns m m. There followed violent headache, thirst, efforts to vomit, sticking pain in epigastrium, cutting colic and flatulence, desire to sleep, and general cold feeling dunng whole d. Sleep was Tery restless for first hours. [Ai/g. horn, Zeii.f Ixxii, 56.)

II. Poisonings. — [We have determined to give no cases under this heading, as it has become exceedingly doubtful if .Athusa has any virulent properties. The nega* tive experiments of Dr. Harley would not prove this, as he has since obtained similar results with Dulcamara, which we know to contain an alkaloid ^solanine) of no slight activity. But analysis of the recorded cases of supposed poisoning with fbols paruey shows their evidence to be so very unsatisfactory that they cannot he trusted \ and the probability is that the plant (in which no alkaloid has been discovered) is haimlcsi,- Eds.]

Volume IV — Appendix

iETHUSA.

(Sec vol. i, p. 1 36.)

II. I. Joseph P — , aet. 19, applied at hospital 8.30 a-ra. He

stated that on previous e. he gathered by the hedgeside several leaves

of a herb he thought to be tansy. Before going to bed he ate a itsH of

these leaves, and about 3 a.m. began to vomit^ and this vomiting

continued off and on till he came to hospital. He then complained of

nausea and headache, with burning sensation about mouth and throat.

Pupils were widely dilated, and pulse very quick and feeble. Patient

was put to bed, and no treatment ordered beyond 5 gr. of calomel and

an oz. of castor oil. By next ra. he was quite well. The lad brought

with him a piece of the herb, which was unquestionably fool's parsley.

(SuGDEN, Lancet., July 14th, 1 888.)