POISONING BY SEEDS OF RICINUS COMMUNIS.
Superpurgation. Poison in seeds. Diluents, demulcents, stomach pump, laxatives if necessary.
An overdose of castor oil may kill by gastro-intestinal congestion and superpurgation. Apart from the oil however the seeds contain a very active poison, which has been fatally ingested by horses with grain or otherwise. Five and a half ounces of the seeds have proved fatal. (Pelletier. Wende).
The symptoms are those of acute colic and gastro-enteritis. The indications are to wash out the stomach by abundant demulcents and the stomach pump, and if necessary to hasten the expulsion of the offensive matters by bland laxatives (olive oil, Glauber salts).
POISONING BY CROTON SEEDS AND OIL.
Fatal dose without water. Vomiting animals. Superpurgation. Lesions. Treatment: diluents, demulcents, stomach pump. Opiates.
One drachm of croton seeds given to a horse, without water proved fatal in 24 hours (Morton); 2 drachms followed by all the water the horse would drink produced most violent catharsis followed by recovery (Hughes). Twenty to thirty drops of croton oil proved fatal; 8 drops in the jugular vein caused death (Hertwig). It is much less fatal to cattle. Dogs and pigs vomit it so readily that they usually survive with profuse catharsis.
The symptoms are profuse watery diarrhœa with tenesmus, congested mucosæ, rapidly increasing weakness and small pulse, becoming imperceptible.
The lesions are violent congestion of the mucosa of stomach and intestines, concentrated very largely on the cæcum and colon.
Treatment consists in abundance of mucilaginous liquids, which the animal readily drinks, and washing out the stomach with the stomach tube or pump. Opiates may be demanded to calm the pain.