Poisoning. by Jequirity. — An acute conjunctivitis follows the topical appli cation of the infusion or powdered seeds. While pounding, the seeds one is liable to an attack of conjunctivitis, rhinitis, or I ronchitis, and any cuts or scratches on the fingers become swollen, painful, and the centre of an erytheinatous blush. The careless handling of abrin is ex tremely dangerous to the eye and the no:•.e. and the smallest particle may be fatal in the slightest wound. Abrin is iii.t used internally; it is very poisonous, /100 grain being a fatal dose for a man of 131) pounds in weight. The lethal symp toms of the internal use or hypodermic injection of abrin are faintness, vertigo, vomiting; cold, clammy surface; dysp ncea; small, frequent, irregular pulse; convulsions, and collapse. Death occurs from cardiac paralysis.
Albuminous principle isolated from Abrus precatorius, which is 100 times more poisonous than strychnine, and acts in the same manner on the system as the poisonous principle extracted from eastor-oil seeds. Death is caused by the coagulation of the blood-corpuscles.
Kobert Gaz., Feb., '90).
Treatment of Abrin Poisoning.—Car diac stimulants, dig.italis, amyl-nitrite, ammonia, and whisky are to be exhib itPd, and external warmth applied.
Therapeutics.—In this country jequir ity has never been used internally in medicine. At present the use of jequirity is limited to those obstinate cases of gran ular conjunctivitis and pannus, especially the latter, which have resisted other modes of treatment. Its action is chiefly by replacing an existing inflammation by. another of stronger type, but of tempo rary duration. Although jequirity is said to have been used in Brazil for centuries as a popular remedy for granular cyclitis and panints, it was de Wrecker, of Paris, who, in 1882, revived interest in the remedy by the publication of reports of its successful use in his practice. He recommends its use as follows: Powder 32, jequirity-berries and macerate them for twenty-four hours in one pint of cold water; add an equal quantity of hot water, and filter when cool. Sattler ad
vises that the husks of the seeds be re moved by means of hot water before the infusion is made. The seeds are then powdered and 6 fluiclounces of hot water added. This infusion is allowed to stand for twenty-four hours, when it is filtered. Andrews recommends that the husks be rejected, the berries ground and macer ated for twelve hours in cold, distilled water, and that then the infusion be fil tered, care being taken that the prepara tion be made in a clean vessel and the maceration be conducted in a cool place. In any case, the solution should be used while fresh. Decomposition renders it unfit for use, and dangerous.
Any one of the above infusions being selected, a portion is painted on the con junctival surface of the eyelid with a brush. This procedure is followed by an acute diphtheritic inflammation, last ing three or four days, and attended with fever and pain in the eyes and in the frontal region. This so changes the chronic process present as to permit of a cure. If an excessive action is developed, it may be controlled by hot compresses made of very dilute solutions of corrosive sublimate (Hare). If the first applica tion gives rise to but slight reaction, it may be repeated after an interval of twenty-four hours.
De Wecker reported that the jequirity inflammation was peculiar in that it did not tend to spread to the cornea or other tissues, but was confined to the conjuncti val sac to which it had been applied. In stances, however, have been reported where the inflammation spread to the face, neck, and the upper part of the chest. Warren and Waddell report a case of sloughing of the cornea from a single application of a somewhat con centrated infusion of the seeds. An in fusion (3 per cent.), prepared with cold distilled water, prepared fresh, and used while fresh, is advised.
Purulent conjunctivitis contra-indi cates the use of jequirity.