Before bryony-root was expelled from medical practice, it was often known to produce violent vomiting, tormina, profuse watery evacuations, and fainting. Pyl mentions a fatal case of poisoning with it, which happened at Cambray in France. The subject was a man who took two glasses of an infusion of the root to cure ague, and was soon after seized with violent tormina and purging, which nothing could arrest, and which soon terminated fatally.[[1435]] Orfila quotes a similar case from the Gazette de Santé, which proved fatal within four hours, in consequence of a strong decoction of an ounce of the root having been administered, partly by the mouth and partly in a clyster, to repel the secretion of milk.[[1436]]
Of Poisoning with Colocynth.
Colocynth, or bitter-apple, is another very active and more common acrid derived from a plant of the same family, the Cucumis colocynthis. It is imported into this country in the form of a roundish, dry, light fruit, as big as an orange, of a yellowish-white colour, and excessively bitter taste. Its active principle is probably a resinoid matter discovered by Vauquelin, which is very soluble in alcohol and sparingly so in water, but which imparts even to the latter an intensely bitter taste.[[1437]] It is termed Colocynthin.
According to the experiments of Orfila, colocynth powder or its decoction produces the usual effects of the acrid vegetables on the stomach and on the subcutaneous cellular tissue. Three drachms proved fatal in fifteen hours to a dog through the former channel when the gullet was tied, and two drachms killed another when applied to a wound.[[1438]]
A considerable number of severe cases of poisoning with this substance have occurred in the human subject; and a few have proved fatal. Tulpius notices the case of a man who was nearly carried off by profuse, bloody diarrhœa, in consequence of taking a decoction of three colocynth apples.[[1439]] Orfila relates that of a rag-picker, who, attempting to cure himself of a gonorrhœa by taking three ounces of colocynth, was seized with vomiting, acute pain in the stomach, profuse diarrhœa, dimness of sight, and slight delirium; but he recovered under the use of diluents and local blood-letting.[[1440]] In 1823 a coroner’s inquest was held at London on the body of a woman who died in twenty-four hours, with incessant vomiting and purging, in consequence of having swallowed by mistake a tea-spoonful and a half of colocynth powder.[[1441]] M. Carron d’Annecy has communicated to Orfila the details of an instructive case, which also proved fatal. The subject was a locksmith, who took from a quack two glasses of decoction of colocynth to cure hemorrhoids, and was soon after attacked with colic, purging, heat in the belly, and dryness of the throat. Afterwards the belly became tense and excessively tender, and the stools were suppressed altogether. Next morning he had also retention of urine, retraction of the testicles and priapism. On the third day the retention ceased, but the other symptoms continued, and the skin became covered with clammy sweat, which preceded his death only a few hours. The intestines were red, studded with black spots, and matted together by fibrinous matter; the usual fluid of peritonitis was effused into the belly; the villous coat of the stomach was here and there ulcerated; and the liver, kidneys, and bladder also exhibited traces of inflammation.[[1442]]
Of Poisoning with Elaterium.
Elaterium, which is procured from a third plant of the cucurbitaceæ, the Momordica elaterium or squirting cucumber, possesses precisely the same properties with the two preceding substances. It appears, however, to be more active; for a single grain has been known to act violently on man. There can be no doubt that small doses will prove fatal; but its strength and consequently its effects are uncertain. British elaterium, which is the feculence that subsides in the juice of the fruit, is the most powerful; French elaterium, which is the extract of the same juice, is much weaker; and a still weaker preparation sometimes made is an extract of the juice of the whole plant. The plant itself is probably poisonous. But the only case in point with which I am acquainted is a singular instance of poisoning, apparently produced in consequence of the plant having been carried for some time betwixt the hat and head. A medical gentleman in Paris, after carrying a specimen to his lodgings in his hat, was seized in half an hour with acute pain and sense of tightness in the head, succeeded by colic pains, fixed pain in the stomach, frequent watery purging, bilious vomiting, and some fever. These symptoms continued upwards of twelve hours.[[1443]]
The active properties of this substance reside in a peculiar crystalline principle, discovered by Mr. Morries-Stirling, and named by him Elaterine. It is procured by evaporating the alcoholic infusion of elaterium to the consistence of thin oil, and throwing it into boiling distilled water; upon which a white crystalline precipitate is formed, and more falls down as the water cools. This precipitate when purified by a second solution in alcohol and precipitation by water, is pure elaterine. In mass it has a silky appearance. The crystals are microscopic rhombic prisms, striated on the sides. It is intensely bitter. It does not dissolve in the alkalis, or in water, is sparingly soluble in diluted acids, but easily soluble in alcohol, ether, and fixed oil. It has not any alkaline reaction on litmus.—It is a poison of very great activity. A tenth of a grain, as I have myself witnessed, will sometimes cause purging in man; and a fifth of a grain in two doses, administered at an interval of twenty-four hours to a rabbit, killed it seventeen hours after the second dose. The best British elaterium contains 26 per cent. of it, the worst 15 per cent.; but French elaterium does not contain above 5 or 6 per cent.[[1444]] These facts account for the great irregularity in the effects of this drug as a cathartic. The principle discovered by Mr. Morries-Stirling was also discovered about the same time by Mr. Hennell[[1445]] of London.
Of Poisoning with the Ranunculaceæ.
The natural family of the Ranunculaceæ abounds in acrid poisons. Indeed few of the genera included in it are without more or less acrid property.