Viscum album

Volume IV — Main text

VISCUM.

Hscum album, L. Mistletoe. Nat. Ord., LorantAacea.

I. Provings. — i. PrOll proved tinct., beginning with i dr., and increasing by laine quantity daily till he had reached 40 dr. He then felt sensation on dorsum of L huia as if a laree spider were crawling over it, and soon after had same feeling in r. band. He then lefit off the proving. About a fortnight later he suddenly felt very trange, as if he must fall down. He felt a glow rising up from feet to head, and it eem«l to him as if he were on fire. At same time his face became very pale. On iking a glass of wine this sensation went off; but it recurred 3 times during tne winter. Tiis same winter, moreover, while travelling, he suddenly felt in r. foot a violent ching pain from within outwards that compelled him to take off his boot as if it ere too tight. This sensation went off in an h. He had frequent recurrences of icM symptoms for two years. {AUg. h. Zeit., xcvi, No. 9.)

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II. Pomnings. — i. Dr. Belcher made a tinct. by macerating equal puu oi leaves and berries in alcohol for 3 d., in proportion of Ji} of former to \vt) of latte, and filtering. This he gave in 5 dr. doses 3 times a d. (o a girl of 17 affected with chorea, but otherwise (though of highly nervous temperament) seemingly well. On and d. he was called to see her, and found her suffering as irou\ a too strong opiitt — giddiness, drowsiness, and stupor having been succeeded by almost entire in^i-nM. biiiiy. She lay motionless, eyes closed as if in sound sleep, but could re roused by a loud noise, when »hc would answer questions; OD relapse int" condition there was a slight disposition to stertorous breathing; pulse was unali, quick, and very irregular, skin warm and very moist, pupils contracted and at fir« insensible to light. Under treatment as for narcotic poisoning she made a gooi recovery. [Monthly Horn. Rev., xii, t84_)

a. Two women, set, 18 and 31, took V. to procure abortion. Every muscle of tbe body, save those of the eyes, became paralysed ; bowels were obstinately constipatf^ showing a simitar condition of intestinal canal ; they could not speak or >nalbw; and both died on 8th — 9th d., literally starved. (Allen's Encyclopedia, x, 154.)

1. A boy, xt. 14, left house quite well; but about 40 m. afterwards wai iouiid lying in the street insensible. Dr. Dixon found him, 30 m. later, like one intoxicated ; countenance suffused, lips livid, conjunctivae injected, pupils slight!'. • ■-' and fixed; pulse slow, full and bounding; breathing slow and stertorous, was normal. On pricking soles, limbs were quickly drawn up. Patient wa. ....,_ by cold affusion to spine, when he talked incoherently, had spectral illuiiont, oA was inclined to be violent. This state continued 1 h., when he fell asleep. (A» emetic had brought up 8 partly masticated berries of mistletoe.) Next m. be wi* well, and said tTiat soon after swallowing the berries he began to feel giddjr, ««1 remembered nothing more. (Brit. Med. Joum., 1874, 'i **4')

III. Experiments oh animals. — i. We placed on the tongue of a large iibbit s grms. of visco-resin ; he ate them readily, and with pleasure, for he licked his I ip»- In about J h. he stretched his four legs, which became very stiff; he underwent t«fttraction and starlings in abdominal and dorsal muscles. These phenomena became all at once so violent that, although lying on his I. side, he made a leap to the heigkK of more than 1 metres, falling back very nearly into same place, where he kf|>* shaking for some m. ; then, getting up, he walked as if drunk about ao pacrt, nx^ at last went into a most violent fit of epilepsy, which lasted more than | h., with hac^ turned backwards and to 1. During this attack there was a seminal emission, on whitf it ceased almost immediately. The rabbit walked a few step; nearly »o h. The d. after he awoke, walked as if drunk, and dran did not eat till next d. (Laville de la PLAicNE,see Brit. Jourti.

i\ emission, on whitK^ s, and then -'^•" ' ' *^ rank some «: 1

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