Alumen

Authorities. 19, Dr. Barthez, Rec. de Mem. de Med., etc., 1835 (Frank’s Mag., vol. iii, p. 675); 20, Piquet, Annal. d’Hyg., 39, p. 192, a man, ao:ed fifty-seven years, took 30 grains Alum in water, by mistake for salts; 21, Helen J. Underwood, M.D., copied from MSS.

Took, fasting, a dose of drachm Alum in 1 ounce distilled water. He noticed contraction in the whole mouth, which lasted about a quarter of an hour, with very acute pressure in the stomach. During the rest of the day there were no marked symptoms. Three days afterwards took 1 drachm Alum in 2 ounces of water. This was followed by more violent contraction than before ; the appetite was not diminished, on the contrary, he rather thought that it was improved, and that digestion was rather better than usual. After this he took doses, increasing every time by J a drachm, until he took 2k drachms at once. After the last dose he experienced violent inclination to vomit, lasting nearly a quarter of an hour, followed by vomiting. Through the day there was decided disturbance; the inclination to vomit seemed to depend rather upon the astringency and disagreeable taste of the Alum than upon any irritating influence on the stomach. Six days afterwards he took fasting 3 drachms at a dose, and in three or four minutes vomited twice a portion of the solution. Through the day there were no symptoms and no pain in the abdomen ; only two or three days afterwards the stools were more difficult than usual. The vomiting spoken of occurred without effort and without previous nausea,^®. —Sensation of dryness and burning in the mouth, throat, and stomach. Incessant nausea and vomiting of only blood; extreme anguish. Pulse small, rapid; afterwards intermittent and thready. Respiration rapid. Skin cold. Deglutition impossible,Every time this patient takes 3c. She feels a sort of metallic sensation about the urethra; also a feeling in the clitoris as if the urethra lay there, and the urine were pressing to be expelled, and a feeling that the urine could not be retained on account of the pressure on the clitoris. This she never feels except after taking the Alumen,^*.