Of Poisoning with Daffodil.
The common daffodil, the Narcissus pseudo-narcissus of botanists, though commonly arranged with the vegetable acrids, seems not entitled to a place among them. At least the experiments of Orfila rather tend to show that it acts through absorption on the nervous system. Four drachms of the aqueous extract of this plant secured in the stomach in the usual way killed a dog in less than twenty-four hours; and one drachm applied to a wound killed another in six hours. In both cases vomiting or efforts to vomit seemed the only symptom of note; and in both the stomach was found here and there cherry-red. The wound was not much inflamed.[[1474]]
Of Poisoning with Jalap.
Jalap, the powder of the root of the Ipomæa purga, and a common purgative, is an active poison in large doses; and this every one should know, as severe and even dangerous effects have followed its incautious use in the hands of the practical joker. Its active properties reside in a particular resinous principle. It contains a tenth of its weight of mixed resin, which, like the resin of euphorbium, has been separated by Drs. Buchner and Herberger into two, one possessing some of the properties of acids, the other some of the properties of bases; and the latter they consider the active principle, and have accordingly named Jalapine.[[1475]] Mr. Hume of London some time ago procured from the crude drug a powdery substance, to which he gave the same name, and which he conceived to be the active principle. His analysis has not been generally relied on by chemists; but it is not improbable that his principle differs little from that of the German chemists.
The action of jalap has been examined scientifically by M. Felix Cadet de Gassicourt, who found that it produced no particular symptom when injected into the jugular vein of a dog in the dose of twenty-four grains, or when applied to the cellular tissue in the dose of a drachm. But when rubbed daily into the skin of the belly and thighs it excited in a few days severe dysentery; when introduced into the pleura it excited pleurisy, fatal in three days; when introduced into the peritonæum it caused peritonitis and violent dysentery, fatal in six days; and when introduced into the stomach or the anus, the animals died of profuse purging in four or five days, and the stomach and intestines were then found red and sometimes ulcerated. Two drachms administered by the mouth proved fatal.[[1476]] Scammony, which is procured from another species of the same family, the Convolvulus scammonea, has been found by Orfila to be much less active. Four drachms given to dogs produced only diarrhœa.[[1477]]
Of Poisoning with Savin.
The leaves of the Juniperus sabina, or savin, have been long known to be poisonous. They have a peculiar heavy, rather disagreeable odour, and a bitter, acrid, aromatic, somewhat resinous taste. They yield an essential oil, which possesses all their qualities in an eminent degree.
A dog was killed by six drachms of the powdered leaves confined in the stomach. It appeared to suffer pain, died in sixteen hours, and exhibited on dissection only trivial redness of the stomach. Two drachms introduced into a wound of the thigh caused death after the manner of the other vegetable acrids in two days; and besides inflammation of the limb there was found redness of the rectum.[[1478]]
Savin is a good deal used in medicine for stimulating old ulcers and keeping open blistered surfaces; which may be done without danger, although it cannot be applied to a fresh wound without risk of diffuse inflammation. Both the powder and the essential oil are of some consequence in a medico-legal point of view, as they have been often used with the intent of procuring abortion. The oil is generally believed by the vulgar to possess this property in a peculiar degree. Doubts, however, may be entertained whether any such property exists independently of its operation as a violent acrid on the bowels. It has certainly been taken to a considerable amount without the intended effect; of which Foderé has noticed an unequivocal example. The woman took daily for twenty days no less than a hundred drops of the oil, yet carried her child to the full time.[[1479]] The powder has likewise been taken to a large extent without avail. A female, whose case is noticed by Foderé, took without her knowledge so much of the powder that she was attacked with vomiting, hiccup, heat in the lower belly, and fever of a fortnight’s duration; nevertheless she was not delivered till the natural time.[[1480]] There is no doubt, however, that if given in such quantity as to cause violent purging, abortion may ensue; but unless there is naturally a predisposition to miscarriage, the constitutional injury and intestinal irritation required to induce it are so great, as to be always attended with extreme danger, independent of the uterine disorder. Of this train of effects the following case, for which I am indebted to Mr. Cockson of Macclesfield, is a good illustration. A female applied to a pedlar to supply her with the means of getting rid of her pregnancy: and under his direction appears to have taken a large quantity of a strong infusion of savin-leaves on a Friday morning and again next morning. A very imperfect account was obtained of the symptoms, as no medical man witnessed them; but it was ascertained that she had violent pain in the belly and distressing strangury. On the Sunday afternoon she miscarried; and on the ensuing Thursday she died. Mr. Cockson, who examined the body next day, found extensive peritonæal inflammation unequivocally indicated by the effusion of fibrinous flakes,—the uterus presenting all the signs of recent delivery,—the inside of the stomach of a red tint, checkered with patches of florid extravasation,—and its contents of a greenish colour, owing evidently to the presence of a vegetable powder, as was proved by separating and examining it with the microscope. My colleague Dr. Traill has communicated to me the particulars of a similar case. A servant-girl, after being for some time in low spirits, was seized with violent colic pains, frequent vomiting, straining at stool, tenderness of the belly, dysuria and general fever; under which symptoms she died after several days of suffering. The stomach was inflamed, in parts black, and at the lower curvature perforated. The uterus with its appendages was very red, and contained a fine membrana decidua, but no ovum. The lower intestines were inflamed. There was found in the stomach a greenish powder, which, when washed and dried, had the taste of savin.
A singular case is quoted by Wibmer of a woman who died from taking an infusion of the herb for the purpose of procuring miscarriage, and in whom death seems to have been occasioned by the gall-bladder bursting in consequence of the violent fits of vomiting.[[1481]]