Cicuta Maculata

Cicuta maculata, Linn. Nat. order, Umbelliferae.

Co mmon names, Water hemlock, spotted cowbane, beaver poison, musquash.

Preparation, Tincture of the root gathered in summer.

Authorities. 1, Charles A. Lee, poisoning of two boys from eating the root, Journ. of Mat. Med., May, 1871 (Am. Obs., 8, 412) ; 2, Montreal Med. Gaz., 1844, Hempel's Mat. Med., 2, 183, eating the root; 3, N. E. Med. Gaz., 7, 219, eating the root.

Mind

Fell on their way, and were picked up unconscious (after one hour)

Head

Dizziness (after one hour)

Eyes

Eyes wild and staring

Pupils dilated to the utmost extent

Face

Face very livid, and even purple, from congestion

Whole face puffed and bloated, resembling the appearance of the head of a person who has been drowned (two cases), (after two hours)

Jaws rigidly fixed (two cases), (after two hours)

Mouth

Bloody froth issued from mouth and nose

Stomach

Extreme nausea (after half an hour)

Sickness of stomach (after one hour)

Vomiting (one case)

Vomited a frothy, glairy fluid

Puked, and brought up a teacupful of masticated root

Burning pain at epigastrium (after half an hour)

Abdomen

Pain in bowels

Colicky pains in bowels (after half an hour)

Rectum and Anus

Felt as if he had a call to a dejection, but on going to stool he could do nothing

Respiratory Organs

Stertorous breathing (two cases), (after two hours)

Heart and Pulse

Pulse intermitting, sometimes imperceptible (two cases), (after two hours)

Scarcely any pulse perceptible

Generalities

Violent spasms (after one hour)

Every muscle of the body affected with powerful clonic spasms, contracting and then partially relaxing with wonderful rapidity ; his movements required four strong men to control ; no cessation to the spasms

Tetanic convulsions (two cases), (after two hours)

Fell backwards in convulsions, which with various remissions and exacerbations continued till he died ; they consisted of tremors, violent contractions and distortions, with alternate and imperfect relaxations of the whole muscular system, astonishing mobility of the eyeballs and eyelashes, with widely dilated pupils, stridor dentium, trismus, frothing at mouth and nose, mixed with blood, and occasionally violent and genuine epilepsy ; the convulsive agitations were so powerful and incessant that I could not examine his pulse with sufficient constancy to ascertain its character

Sleep and Dreams

Complete coma (two cases), (after two hours)

Fever

Head hot

Profuse sweat

Body covered with sweat