Aconitum Ferox

A. ferox, Wall. (A. virosum, Don.) Nat. order, Ranunculace^. (The most poisonous species known; from the Himalaya Mountains.) Common names (Indian), Bich, or Bikh, Ativisha. Preparation, Tincture from the root.

Authority. Dworzak, in Schopf (Reil and Hope Journ.). Took .01 gramme of the extract at one dose.

Mind

Mind very active; sequence of ideas rapid (in six hours). He talked constantly, remembered easily the minutest circumstances of his former experiment, compared them with the present one, and readily drew conclusions therefrom (in six hours).

In the intervals of relief from distressing symptoms, he laughed and joked about his very comical condition ; but when the dyspnoea, anxiety, etc., returned, he could not seem to endure them, and abused heartily Aconite and Toxicology in general (in four to six hours).

Was incapable of any mental work, even the simplest addition (second day).

Comprehension and understanding were confused (second day).

Anxiety (in four hours).

Head

Confusion of head (in eighty minutes).

On rising, at 6.30 oclock, vertigo (second day)

Eyes

Vnx>\h dilated sluggish to light (in six hours)

Face.~\lQ.'] The cheeks felt fuzzy (in forty minutes)

Troublesome formication, mostly over face (in eighty minutes).

Ears

Formication on upper surface of tongue, gradually involved whole mouth (in forty minutes).

The tongue almost insensible • it feels like a piece of raw leather in the mouth (in six hours).

Too-ue covered with a thick, yellowish-white fur (second day).

Violent burning in month (m two minutes).

Burning in mouth and throat increased by food (second day).

Drank often cold water to relieve the burning in mouth and fauces (in five minutes).

The mouth felt fuzzy (in forty minutes).

Salivation (in five minutes).

Taste flat, pasty (second clay).

Throat p. 9

Violent burning in pharynx (in two minutes).

Burning in throat and mouth (in two to four hours).

Drank often cold water to relieve the burning in fauces and mouth (in five minutes).

Feeling of constriction of throat (in four hours).

Stomach p. 9

Very little appetite (second day).

Frequent eructations (in eighty minutes).

Transient nausea (third day).

Nausea, eructations (could not vomit) (in four hours).

At times, nausea and inclination to vomit (in eighty minutes).

After breakfast, nausea, pressure in stomach, with pain (second day).

Sensation of warmth in stomach (in two minutes).

Violent drawing pain in region of stomach and sacral regions, which soon spread over whole abdomen ; on pressure at the epigastric region, the pain is increased (third and fourth days).

Pressure in stomach after eating (four to eight days) (fourth day).

On pressing in stomach, an internal, dull pressing pain (four to eight days).

Abdomen p. 9

Rumbling in bowels (in five minutes).

Constant gurgling in bowels (in four hours).

Stool and Anus p. 9

Two half-watery, dark, not copious stools (second day).

Urinary Organs p. 9

Copious evacuation of urine every fifteen to thirty minutes ; in twelve hours, more than five quarts of urine, and only two quarts drank (in forty minutes).

Frequent and copious urination (in seven hours).

Urine straw-yellow for eight hours, afterwards became dark (in forty minutes).

ResplrfUoff/ Apparatus

Dyspnoea.

Oppression of breathing (in four hours).

Dyspnoea increased to such a degree that he was obliged to breathe half sitting up, with the head resting on the palms of the hands (in six hours).

Anxiety increased to a high degree; he constantly feared he would suffocate from paralysis of the respiratory muscles (in six hours).

Accelerated respiration (in six hours).

Heart and Pulse p. 9

Pulse slowed 11 beats (74), (in five minutes).

Pulse small, weak, 60 (in two to four hours).

Pulse weak and small (in six hours).

Pulse 70, small and weak (second day).

Extremities in General p. 9

Weakness and trembling of extremities (in eighty minutes).

Lower Extremities p. 9

Walking difficult and uncertain, fatiguing (in eighty minutes).

Gait tottering ; step regular, but powerless (second day).

Remarkable weakness in lower extremities, especially the right (third day).

Generalities p. 9

General sick feeling (in eighty minutes).

Formication spread over whole body, but affected very slightly, or not at all, those parts that had been cold ; worse, or caused by change of temperature and motion. From 7 to 7.30 p.m., this annoying sensation, having changed from one nerve to another, reached its greatest severity ; it caused a painful unrest, so that he could not possibly lie more than a few minutes quietly ; constantly changed his position ; would attempt to get up, but a few steps exhibited marked weakness and prostration, with vertigo, blackness before eyes, trembling of whole body, inclination to vomit; relieved at once by lying dow'n (in two to four hours).

Sensation as though benumbed ; on touching objects, it seemed as though he had on gloves ; on pinching the cheek, no pain (in six hours).

Touch all day blunted, as through gloves ; and he seemed to walk on woollen carpets (second, third, and fourth days). four hours).

Weakness (fifth day).

Lassitude and weariness suddenly attacked him (second day).

Prostration from the sleepless night (fifth day).

Weakness, anxiety, dyspnoea, restlessness, and excitement increased with intervals of relief (in four hours).

Fever p. 10

Sense of coldness (in eighty minutes).

Icy coldness of body, especially of extremities, continued for several hours; he was wrapped iu his gown and doubled covers, and three feather bolsters, and the room kept very hot, without effect (in four hours).

Temperature objectively and subjectively lowered ; he lay one and a half hours by the hot stove (second day).

So tired he had to go to bed and be covered up warm, because the skin was cold objectively and subjectively (iu eighty minutes).

Desire to get warm ; he rose from the bed and tottered six steps to the stove ; he remained by the stove a few minutes (half sitting, half lying, with the head supported) ; warmth caused a pleasant sensation, but there arose vertigo, flickering, trembling of limbs, oppression, and nausea, so that he had to go back to bed, which relieved these latter symptoms (in four hours).

He could not divest himself of the idea that warmth would do him good ; he went to the stove again, with the same result as before ; on attempting it the third time, he could not stand up (in four hours).

Desire for warmth ; not being able to leave the bed, he had heated bolsters laid on his chest and abdomen, and kept as quiet as possible (in four to six hours).

Skin cold (second day).

Skin cold, dry, rustling (temperature of room very high) (in two to four hours).

Color viordax on forehead, chest, and hands, with sensation as if numerous glowing hot wires were stuck into him; relieved by the perspiration (in four to six hours).

In order to promote perspiration, he flexed and extended the arm as rapidly as possible; after a minute, copious sweat, with calor mordax ; but instead of relief, he was attacked with such weakness that he sank down exhausted ; palpitation (in six hours).

Sleep and Dreams p. 10

Sleepy, and slept three-quarters of an hour (in six and a half hours).

Slept again one and a half hours (in eleven hours).

Night sleepless (fourth day).

On waking, violent burning in mouth and throat, warmth in stomach, dull sensation in head ; weak, weary, relaxed (in seven hours).

Conditions p. 10

MteYnoom better (third, fourth, and fifth days).

The burning in mouth and throat renewed for a few hours by warm food (fourth day).

Coffee relieved the symptoms (in six hours).