The elements of a new materia medica and therapeutics : based upon an entirely new collection of drug-provings and clinical experience / by E.E. Marcy, J.C. Peters & Otto Füllgraff.

  • Marcy, E. E. (Erastus Edgerton), 1815-1900.
Date:
[1859-1861]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The elements of a new materia medica and therapeutics : based upon an entirely new collection of drug-provings and clinical experience / by E.E. Marcy, J.C. Peters & Otto Füllgraff. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    intestines considerably beyond the duodenum. The peritoneal coats of the stomach and bowels were not inflamed. The lungs and the heart were healthy; head not inspected. Arsenic was contained in the stomach-fluids. (13. 46.) Case 5.—Harriet T., aged nineteen, a robust and healthy girl, took on Tuesday night, Sept. 1st, about two ounces of fly-water, contain- ing two and a half grains of Arsenic. It rendered her restless during the night, producing watchfulness and slight pain in the stomach. Next morning she became sick and very thirsty, and the tenderness and pain in the stomach had increased. In the course of the day the sickness became worse, she was repeatedly purged, her countenance looked pinched, and the extremities became cold. On Wednesday night she rallied and became more comfortable and cheerful, but was still thirsty. On Thursday morning she was worse, cold and drowsy, and she was sent to the London Hospital; her countenance was then pale and anxious, extremities cold and bedewed with a cold clammy sweat; pulse hardly perceptible, and she lay in a state of incipient coma. She then sank and died in about thirty-six hours after the administration of the poison. The body was examined twenty-one hours after death, and from the appearances present Dr. Letheby was led to conclude that death resulted purely from coma, as neither the symptoms during life, nor the state of the stomach after death would allow him to attribute it to the effects of gastro-enteritis. (13. 46.) Pathology.—The brain was much congested and the several ven- tricles filled with half-coagulated blood. Lungs natural; the heart flabby and distended with dark jelly-like blood; haemorrhagic spots were seen on the endocardial membrane, especially where it covers the auriculo-vcntricular valves. The abdominal and pelvic vis- cera were congested ;—the stomach was pale and empty, and along the pylorus it had assumed a gamboge tint: Arsenic was found in its tissues. (13. 4b\) This is a valuable addition to the comparatively small class of cases in which death is due solely to coma. Another case has re- cently occurred at the King's College Hospital, in which the poison was also taken in fly-water, when after the complete evacuation of the stomach and temporary relief of all the symptoms, the child was seized with fatal coma. The smallness of the dose is also unprece- dented. (13. 46.) Case 6.—An interesting case of poisoning by Arsenic, in which none of the usual symptoms were observed, is reported by Mr. Hough- ton. He was called to see Mrs. B., whom he found in a state of con- siderable mental excitement, but without any symptoms of cerebral affection. She told him very collectedly, that about three quarters of an hour previously she had taken half an ounce of Arsenic, which she had that morning procured from a druggist. She was free from the ordinary symptoms of irritant poisoning. She had no thirst, pain, heat, or constriction of the throat or fauces, epigastric tenderness, vomiting, tormina, abdominal pain, or discharge from the bowels. The