Cases of poisoning by fungi, with remarks / [Alexander Peddie].

  • Peddie, Alexander, 1810-1907
Date:
[1838]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cases of poisoning by fungi, with remarks / [Alexander Peddie]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    than a day and a-half ” after being taken. * To this statement the above cases present some contradiction, for in all of them the ef¬ fects began to be developed within the space of half an hour. With regard to the kind of impression produced by the poisons on the brain and nervous system generally, the above cases pre¬ sent several curious circumstances for consideration. The stupor in case No. 1 was much more profound than that observed in any of the cases of narcotic poisoning with which I am acquainted ; for while in general a look or word, momentary it may be, is obtain¬ ed from those poisoned with opium, and other narcotics, affording proof that they may be roused from the stupor, if not already mo¬ ribund, yet in this instance a very long time elapsed before the slightest symptom of sensibility could be obtained, in spite of loud speaking, forcible shaking, and various other means even more powerfully rousing. Indeed in this case it was not like the com¬ mon narcotic lethargy, but more resembled coma, wanting the stertorous breathing ; and this state was still further remarkable from its being accompanied by muscular twitchings and spasms in addition to the contracted pupil, the low feeble pulse, and the cold surface. The convulsions and severe tetanic spasms too, which oc¬ casionally occurred during the development of sensibility, and the boisterous delirium which followed them, gave a singular charac¬ ter to the whole case. The order in which those phenomena oc¬ curred seems different, so far as I am aware, from that hitherto ob¬ served in cases of narcotic or narcotico-acrid poisoning. In such the delirium has invariably preceded convulsions and stupor, but in cases No. 1 and 3 it was subsequent. Instead of the sedative stage following that of excitement, the reverse happened ; and if there really was excitement prior to the stupor, the case is render¬ ed more curious from the recurrence of it afterwards,---which ex¬ citement too, could not altogether be the effect of the stimulating remedies employed, as the delirium occurred in case No. 3, before any medicines were given at all. Indeed, from all the circum¬ stances in cases No. 1 and 3, the idea does not seem inadmissible, that more than one poisonous principle existed in the fungi; and that after one of these had exerted a full narcotic influence, ano¬ ther was eliminated, by which the energies of the brain and gene¬ ral nervous system were excited, and thrown into disorder. The only other remark which I shall offer on the phenomena observed in cases No. I and f is on the curious changes in the condition of the pupil. In the elder M‘Bain’s case, during the stage of perfect insensibility, the pupils were very much con¬ tracted, and were unaffected by light; but when the system was roused to the fury of delirium, they became both widely dilated, * Christison on Poisons, p. 530 ; also Orfila, Tome ii. p. 400, edit, seconde. Beck’s Medical Jurisprudence, p. 037) kist edition.