Ailanthus glandulosa

Volume I — Main text

AILANTHUS.

Dcff. Tit* of betvea, Nat, Ord^ Sint^lmkdcis.

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)f an infusion that caused 1 ipecacuanha; abo sense of tightness in temples. Symptoms increased] after | h. to vcHniting (soar) ; pulse had nour risen from 68 to 76,1 tecnp. from J/'i"^ to 37'3^- After this peculiar sensation of empnuesii in stomach i pube, i h. after dose, 8o« temp. J77^. In i h^hll of i temperature to 37^, and of pulse to 64 i sense of coldness over whole j body. After a few h. colic followed by soft stool.

^. On another occasion^ after same, pulse being 78, there was no! nausea, but after | h. puJse was 70, with a sensation of coldness i UterJ puke rose to 76 again. After 4 h. some colic and soft stool. (AlM^ Mm^jck^diay x, 643 : from thesis by Giraud^ not accessible.)

1. Dr. Robert took same. Found it extremely bitter, causinl nausea, sometimes vomiting. After i h. pulse fell 10 beats, remainiJigl thus for \ h^ after which it became somewhat more ftequent thani usuaL {Ibid.)

2. Dr. Hettet reports as effixrt of eating fragment of bark, gener malaise, sensation of feebleness, dimness of vision, vertigo, cold sweat, and nausea. {Ibid*)

3. P — , a student of medicine, aet, 19, in good health. Took dr. of ist cent. diL cverv h. from 8 a.m., March 4th. ro.o. Lancina* ting pain through both temples, and fine pricking pains in templ( Burning in and darting pains through stomach. 12.O. Tired sensatii of lower limbs, chills over whole body as from water, and sharp pain through both lungs, 1,0. After dinner, sinking feeling in stomach. 3,0. bevere constriction of throat. 8.0. Sharp pricking pain in stomach and temples. 5th* — 10 a.m. Aching in 1. lung ; discharge of bright red blood from nose, which was swollen, j 1.0. bevere nausea, as from fet meat, i.o. Sharp pains through both temples. 3.0. Lancinating^ pains through whole lower limbs. 6.0. Throat feels very full. 6tl^| 7th, and 8th. No new symptoms. 9th, — 9 a.m. Bleeding from no^^ and sharp pains through both lungs ; worse when taking long breath.

J 2.0, Mouth very sore, and feels raw and burning, as if from presence of acid. 1.30. Lancinating pains in both temples, and deathly faintness of stomach after dinner, lasting li h, 4. Sensation as from a blow in r. car. 6.30, Trembling of legs. lOth. — 8 a.m. Mouth sore and raw, and oozing of blood from denuded surface. Faint feeling, with nausea. Sharp pains in both lungs, and in stomach, as from pins. 12.0, Ringing in r, ear. 2.0. Bruised sensation on r. forearm. 5.0. Mouth very sore and painful, discharge of blood from the swollen ♦ AUo without explanation. — Eds.

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gums* 1 2th, — 8 a.m. Dryness of mouth, and bleeding from roof and sides. Nausea in abdomen, lo.o. Sharp pain through r. temple, with nausea. 3.0. Pricking pain through 1, lung. Trembling of legs* Ringing in ears like music. 15th. — 8 a.m* Mouth continues very sore, with discharge of blood and stringy saliva. Teeth feel as if he had taken acid in mouth, lO.o, Pains in lungs return, and trembling of legs and bruised sensation of r, forearm. Constriction of throac^ with sensation of foreign body there for about 10 m. after every dose of medicine. Took same doses up to 25th» with no new symptoms. ^ {Putfi. of Mass. Horn. Med. Soc,^ iv, 120.)

1. in proving the Ailanthus, I procured the flowers just before maturity, had them carefully dried, and of these made a tincture of about 3j to the pint, I first took it myself, in drop- doses, 4 times a d., for 3 weeks, noticing only the distinct and decided symptoms, and was then compelled to take an antidote. I then gave it to 2 young men, one of bilious, the other of lymphatic temperament, neither of whom knew what they were taking, or what effects I was looking for. The principal symptoms corresponded perfectly, though one refused to take it after a few days' indisposition. They each made only one trial, continuing it about 2 weeks. On myself I have tried it on 3 different occasions, with nearly a year intervening between each trial, and each continuing more than three weeks. My last proving was with the ist dil., and the effects were quite as well marked as those of the tincture. Each time I have been compelled to suspend the doses after the 3rd week, and twice to antidote its action by nux vomica, as, by that time, the throat, lungs, eyes, and head (I mention them in their order of being affected) were suffering severely. I have only noted such symptoms as were common to each of the provers, and have excluded all which did not seem to be caused by the action of the drug. The symptoms which are most positive are printed in italics,

a. General Symptoms. — Feeling of uneasiness, and aching restlessness in limbs j electrical thrill exUnding to ends of fingers ; heaviness of extremities i peculiar feeling of emptiness in stomach ; languor and lassitude on making exertion \ tottering gait with inclination to stagger — requires extra effort to walk straight ; incapability of standing ■long at a time.

h. Head.^ — Vertigo, especially when stooping; headache- darting pain in hack of head ^ beating in occipital arteries; feeling as if electrical currents were passing through 1, side of head ; catarrhal obstruction as from cold in head ; thicky heavy feelings as in base and r. side of the head; tender bruised feeling over paneto- frontal sutures j dizziness and confusion of head ; inability to guide feet ; staggering dizziness when rising or moving,

r. Emotive Sphere, — Low- spirited ; continued sighing; restlesstucss ; confusion of ideas ; inability to concentrate mental effort ; comelled to read a subject several times, to get a misty understanding of 'It ; recklessness in regard to present or future events ; stoical indifference to what happens.

d. Sentient Sphere. — Loss of memory ; mental alienation ;* ^ Tbii must have been something quite temporary jind luperfidal. — Eos.

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^apoplictic fulmss of head^ rather serous than sanguineous ;^ electrical thrill, starting from brain and extending to extremities j tingling in fingers,

/. Eyes. — Feel rough and irritated as from wind and dust; smarting and aching of the eyes as from application of powerful astringents ; burning in the eyes; lachrymation in open air or by brilliant light; falling out of eyebrows,

y. Nose. — Dryness and suppressed secretion ; loss of smell ; difficult breathing through nose ; itching and uneasy feeling around nose,

g. Face. — Complexion sallow, blue, and inactive j irregular spots of capillary congestion, as in face of drunkard after a debauch ; dusky bilious complexion, dark blue circle around eyes.

A, Throat* — Throat tender and sore on swallowing, or on admission of air; hawking of mucus from throat; thick-, oedematous, and dry choky feeling of throat, continuing in an acute form only a short time, and then becoming chronic; great accumulation of matter, part of which is easily expectorated, while a portion of it is detached, with much exertion, in small flakes j spreading ulcers^ feeling as after application of nitrate of silver, constant hawking and efforts to raise hardened lumps of whitish matter ; thickened swelled feeling of muscles of neck j tenderness and enlargement of parotid and thyroid glands ; sensation as after an astringent to pharynx ; croupy choking ; raising of mucus and yellow matter from the throat.

i. Chest. — Pain and contracted feeling, especially through the centre of the left lung ; equable oppression as though chest was strapped ; asthmatic oppression in larger bronchi ; aching^ pressed feeling of dorsal vertebras; heated^ burning feeling 3iS from breathing hot steam or air j excessive soreness and tenderness of the lungs, compelling suspension of drug. On and d. after suspension, wheezing asthmatic respiration j cough, somewhat oppressed j expectoration muco-purulent, free in m., sticky and scanty during d. j deep, exhausting cough with asthmatic expansion of the lungs j convulsive cough ; cough deep, and painful ; excessive tenderness all over the lungs ; feeling as though air-cells were stuck together j inability to completely expand the lungs j can hear the cells open as the lungs expand. Crepitant rhonchus ; tired feeling in lungs rendering it almost an exertion to breathe ; stitching and aching in the chest ; aching pain directly under clavicle, sometimes extending to sternum i burning pain under 1* shoulder ; constant aching between shoulders ; burning in n lungj aching in front of L lung, extending to back j aching close on either side of the dorsal vertebrae \ pain, as though from a small blade, 2 inches 1. of lower portion of sternum j shootings aching pain in the shoulders and hips^t

j. Stomach. — No particular desire for food, but cats his usual quantity. Inactive condition of stomach as though its contractive power was impaired; appetite capricious ; tongue thickly covered with whitish coat, brown in the centre ; water tastes brackish and flat ; no desire for drink except when eating.

k. Abdomen.^ — Weak, burning, uneasy feeling in the bowels, as of

• This must describe what the provcrs' sensations suggcsied.— Eds» + Dr. Alley's pulmonary symptoms might have been set down to an intercurrent chill, but thai they arc confirmed by Dr. Mintoa's experiments. — Eds.

approaching diarrhoea; bowels moved easier than natural 2 or j times a day. Tympanites j slight rumbling in the bowels j looseness of bowels, seeming most in the large intestines,

/. Fever, — ■I5ry> hot skin, especially in m,, lasting until middle of d, (Alley, M Am. joum, of Horn, ^ vii, 385.)

1. a. Dr. Mintom made tincture of flowers, leaves, and bark., and took drop doses every h. for 12 h., when confusion and pain in head were so severe that he was forced to discontinue proving.

h, A week later he took 2 drops every 2 h*, on ist d. from 8i a.m. to 10^ p.m., on 2nd d. from 8 a,m. to 6 p.m. In 20 ra, after ist dose slight headache with nausea and giddiness; in 50 m,, severe darting pain through temples and occiput, with confusion of ideas. After 2nd dose, thick, heavy feeling also in head.j figures and letters look blurred ; in making up some accounts found it almost impossible to add up a column correctly. No appetite for dinner, everything tasting flat and insipid. In 20 m. after 3rd dose pain and tightness of chest ; in 2 h. irritability of throat with hawking of mucus. In 36 m* after 4.th dose numbness of U arm and sensation as if fingers were asleep. In i h, after 5th dose oppression of breathing. In 4 h. after 6th dose soreness in internal chest with pain and aching in lungs, which increased later, and were accompanied by severe pains in head with chills, followed by flushes of heat. Sleep disturbed and unrefreshing ; on waking, tingling sensadon of 1, arm and hand, dull headache, no appetite for breakfast, tongue coated, pastv taste in mouth. After ist dose this d. headache set in immediately with some confusion of intellect. In ^ h. after 2nd dose nausea and sickness at stomach, with sour eructations. Loathing of food at mid*day ; and soreness of glands of neck, with pains under 1. scapula. After 4th dose constajit sharp pain through small of back and hips. After 5th pain rn back, head, and neck, with numbness of arm, still continue. After 6th numbness of 1, leg also, with tingling, pricking pain in feet and toes.

After discontinuing drug, head, throat, and chest symptoms lasted for about 24 h., when they gradually died away. The numbness of arm and leg, with pain in shoulders, back, and hips, lasted 4 or 5 d. {North Amtr, Journ, of Horn, ^ x, 358.)

1. tf. A young man («t- 28), of sanguine temperament, on June 6th, at 5 p.m., took 5 drops of the above tincture. In \ h. fulness and somewhat of intoxicated feeling in brain 1 also fulness in throat, with desire to hawk up something. At 8^ p.m, took 5 drops and in 15 m. felt above head symptoms return,

b. June I2th, — At 8^ a.m. took 3 drops, In^h. fulnessand burning in brain ; sensation of cold about eyes j and a gnawing in chest. At q\ took 3 more drops. In 2 h. dull heavy headache, with heavy feeling in sternal region. Between i and 2 a heavy frontal headache came on again, with drowsiness ; went to sleep and slept two h. Severe pain through temples on waking. General feeling of fulness in system, much soreness, irritability, and prickling or tingling sensation in skin. Heavy sleep during n, {Ibid.)

1. Another young man, a&t. 21, began by taking i drop every h, for 8 doses, without effect save a slight headache. H i then took a tea-

spoonful at once. In about \ h. began to feel queer and somewhat frightened ; sensation of giddiness, with nausea and sickness at stomach, came over him ; cold perspiration stood out on skin ; fingers, and indeed whole body, began to tingle and prick ; limbs felt as if asleep ; figures at which he was working danced up and down ; he staggered back, and fell into his chair, almost unconscious. Bourbon whisky was administered, and he soon began to vomit and purge, which continued for 2 b. Even 2 d. after experiment he had some headache and numbness of 1* arm. {Ihid.)

1. a* Dr True tasted of some freshly-dug ailanthus root, and had repeated vomiting, unaccompanied by straining and retching, but with death-like sickness.

h. Same made infusion of ^^tv of bark to Oj of water, and took two tablespoonfufs at 140, 2.15, and ;j.40, and three at 4.40 p.m. At 5.20 noticed heavy ache through head just behind ears ; feeling about articulations of jaws like mumps ; and slight nausea. At 6,50 took six tablespoon fuls, throwing up dose as soon as swallowed i at 7,15 nausea, general relaxation, indisposition to exercise, difficulty of keeping attention fixed. At 8.35 symptoms were abating, and at 9 they had gone. ^

£, Next d. made infusion of ^ij of bark to Oj of hot water, evaporated to 3viij, and took whole at once. Only effect was slight nausea, and feeling of tension through head just behind ears, as after large dose of. quinine* At other times took ^ij of saturated tincture, and ate bark' and roots, with but little effect. (Hempel, Mat. Med,^ 3rd cd., sub voce) ,

1. Poisonings, — i , Two young girls amused themselves one evening by stripping the outside bark from the young and tender shoots of the ailanthus, and then, after writing letters on the stalks with the point of a pin, these were moistened with saliva by means of the end of the finger. This was many times repeated, so that some quantity of the juice of the stalks must have been conveyed to the mouth. Both were made ill, with similar symptoms, but one the much more severely. On rising she felt slightly ill ; and on coming to breakfast the sight of food made her feel so much worse that she left the table and went to her room. She was seized suddenly with violent vomiting \ severe headache j intolerance of light ; dizziness ; hot, red face ; inability to sit up ; rapid small pulse ; drowsiness, with at same time restlessness \ and great anxiety* Two h, after first attack drowsiness had become insensibility, with constant muttering delirium j she did not recognise members of family ; and was covered, in patches, with a miliary rash, of dark, almost livid, colour, on a dull, dingy, opaque ground, more profuse on forehead and face than elsewhere. Pulse was now small, and so rapid as hardly to be counted ; surface had become cold and dry; livid colour of skin, when pressed out by finger, returned veryi slowly. In about 3 h, from first appearance of eruption livid colour began to lose something of its dark hue ; restlessness and anxiety diminished ; pulse became more distinct and less frequent; consciousness partially returned ; eruption became a brighter red, A series rigors^ followed by burning fever, now sec \n^ and continued at interva

for a fortnight. Chill was always preceded by a miliary eruption, most copiously developed in forehead and face. During chill there was great hunger with distressing sense of general emptiness i any food taken was speedily vomited ; intolerable pain was felt in nucha, upper back, and r, hip-joint. During hot stage there was urgent thirst with delirium, and strong desire for brandy. Each year since this poisoning patient has been attacked by a similar miliary rash at season of blossoming of ailanthus, and is more or less ill with it, (P. P. Wells, Amir. Horn, Reviiw^ iv, 385, and Monthly Ham, Revltw..^ xi^ 289*)

1. Dr. Wells himself experiences annually, on the blossoming of the tree, a peculiar dull, heavy, pressing pain in forehead, of no great severity, but indisposing to or even incapacitating for all exertion, especially mental. He describes also, as common to many others with himself, a feeling at this time of " uncertainty " in the bowels, as if they might be attacked with looseness any minute. {Anur, Horn. Rev.^ vi, 2680

2. Dr, De Wolf noticed, for many years, effects of aroma of blossoms on self and others, and enumerates them as — nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and spasmodic abdominal pains. [Phiiad. Journ, ^f Hom.y ii,

576.)

1. M, Decaisne reports that the gardeners employed in trimming ailanthus trees suffer from nausea, and sometimes from vomiting, with prostration. (Giraud, Qp. cit,)

2. Dr. Alley noticed effects of arorna in two persons.

a. In a woman, throat was dry, rough, and scrapy, more so in m. ; there was hawking up of greenish, puruloid matter ; fauces and tonsils were inflamed, with spots of incipient ulceration ; thirst for cold drinks, heavy dull headache, with great oppression of bronchise ; violent fits of coughing before retiring and on rising, lasting till expectoration becomes free (comfortable during d.).

h* A man always experienced occipital headache, vertigo, squeezing pain in forehead, and swelling of L cheek ; soreness and pain on 1. side of nose, puffed erysipelatous face ; nausea at intervals, sleepiness and heaviness, {U.S. Journ. of Horn. ^ i, 285.)

1. Mrs. K — , then in her climaxis, and for many years a sufferer from gastric derangement, called Dr. Meschter, complaining of symptoms which she referred to her dyspepsia* She had pale colour of face, dry skin, coated tongue, pains in hypogastrium and hips, jaundice and tenderness over hepatic region, constipation, difficult micturition, and an accelerated pulse. Next d. patient was no better, and the doctor found her youngest daughter sick in bed with same symptoms. Both got worse from d. to d., vomited repeatedly, and complained of constant violent increasing pain in stomach. The second daughter then became ill, and presented identical symptoms. The father, who was awapr at work all d., was at last affected precisely like the others. The doctor suspected poison, and at length learned that the brook water used by the family tasted badly. Un examination, the roots of an ailanthus were found extending into it ; and the flavour was such as impregnation with its bark would produce. On discontinuing use of water family became and remained well, {Phihd. Med. and Surg^ Rep.^ Feb., 1872.)

2 to

7* Three little boys tmoked stems of ailinthus like cigars* They had giddiness, nausea, with retching and some yomiting; frequent watery dejections, expelled with great force ; burning in stomach SLiid bowels, colicky pains in bowels. The giddiness and nausea lasted off and on for 2 or 3 d. (Williamson, N. Am, Joum. of H/im.y x, 360,)

1. Dr* True published an article in the EcL Mid. Journ,^ oept., 1875, relating alleged poisoning with bark in two children, set, 4 and 6, with following symptoms :■ — Drowsiness and sleepiness ; pube slow and full, but regular \ breathing natural ; they would vomit during sleep, but without waking ; could be roused by shaking, but then seemed sleepy only, soon going ofF again, (Hempil, 9p, cit.)

2. Local effects. — Revcil states that gardeners are obliged to protect their face and hands when trimming the trees, else they suffer from vesicular and even pustular eruptions. He also affirms that the resinous substance extracted from the bark by ether produces vesication when applied to the skin* Giraud applied to skin compresses saturated with infusion of bark, and found them produce a large number of small elevations, circumscribed, surrounded by a very small inflamed areola, and filled with a turbid liquid looking like pus, Dr, Lindsley observed a case in which a young lady, sleeping on a lounge by an open window in front of which was an ailanthus in full bloom, had upon her skin, wherever uncovered, a vesicular inflammation resembling the eruption caused by Rhus, He applied the juice of a freshly-broken twig of the tree to her arm, and it produced a copious eruption upon a surface much larger than the part touched. [N, Amer. Journ. 9f H^m,^ xxx, 85, and Hempel, op, cit.)