SEA MUSSEL MYTILUS EDULIS. 



PECULIAR POISONS. 



229 



A class of poisons different in some respects from that of the ptomaines has appeared 

 in the sea mussel at various times in certain restricted localities. In some cases large 

 groups of people have been suddenly stricken with severe illness after eating this shell- 

 fish and death has often quickly followed. The most prominent case of this sort 

 occurred at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, October 17, 1885, when 19 persons were taken 

 severely ill after eating Mytihis edulis. Four of the people died. Consternation 

 followed this event and numerous investigators began to study the nature and effects 

 of the poison. The result has been an extensive and most valuable literature, knowledge 

 of which should protect us from again falling into the fatal error of eating poisonous 

 mussels of this type. 



Netter and Ribadeau-Dumas (1907b) published a table showing the fatal cases of 

 poisoning which have been known to result from the ingestion of such mussels. In 

 modified form it is as follows: 



The symptoms which follow the ingestion of poisonous mussels may be one or more 

 of three distinct types. 



(1) The erythematic form is the lightest in which the toxine takes effect. The 

 symptoms are similar to those which appear in many persons after eating strawberries, 

 pineapple, or fish, when red spots appear on the body. This is also frequently accom- 

 panied by a swelling of the face and abdomen and sometimes with a sense of suffocation. 



(2) The choleratic form is more severe in its effects. A few hours after ingesting 

 poisonous mussels diarrhea and vomiting appear, which last for from 24 to 36 hours. 

 The symptoms are similar to those of the dry-weather cholera, which appears periodically 

 at Trieste, Austria, and with which cases of mussel poisoning have been confused. 



(3) The paralytic form is the worst, being rapid in its action and often fatal. It 

 was this form of poisoning which occurred at Wilhelmshaven. On that occasion the 

 physician Schmidtmann (1888) made a study of the subject from the clinical and etio- 

 logical standpoint, while Virchow (1885) investigated it from the standpoint of pathology. 



The symptoms as described by Schmidtmann (1888), Permewan (1888), Cameron 

 (1890), and others, indicate that there are three stages to the paralytic form of poisoning. 



The first signs are a prickling or burning sensation in the hands or feet, a constric- 

 tion of the pharynx, mouth, and lips, and a sensation in the teeth similar to that pro- 

 duced by acid substances. The lips become numb, and this condition gradually passes 



