

134 FLORA ROMCEOPATHICA. 



In the first two no effect was produced ; in the others it exerted 

 a stupifying action on the nervous system, with local irritation 

 and more or less intense inflammation, with vertigo, and dilated 

 pupils. After death, the blood was found fluid, of a very dark 

 purple colour, in the cavities of the heart, and the lungs red 

 and very crepitant. Lavini {Jour, de Chimie Medicate, Juin, 

 1825) made the same experiments on guinea-pigs and birds, 

 with the same effect. Fontana (Traite sur le Ven. de la Vipere, 

 torn. ii. p. 160, 1781) gave the juice of the leaves of the 

 Rhus toxicodendron, and also applied it externally to the cel- 

 lular tissue of rabbity guinea-pigs, and pigeons, without it 

 producing any effect. 



On Man, — Fontana (op. cit.) states that, having touched the 

 leaves of the K. toxicodendron at different times and at in- 

 tervals of several days, in four to six days after the eyelids and 

 the extremities of the ears and many other parts of his face 

 became tumefied, and appeared filled with an aqueous fluid. 

 The intervals between the fingers became red and covered with 

 little vesicles full of pellucid humour, and the epidermis fell off 



* 



in small scales. Violent smarting of the skin continued for 

 fifteen days, followed by insupportable itching for another 

 fifteen days, and the pulse was inordinately agitated. 



Lavini (op. cit.) applied the juice to the index-finger, and 

 left it there for two minutes: in about an hour it produced 

 two small dark-coloured spots. Twenty-five days afterwards he 

 was suddenly seized with the following symptoms : great heat 

 in the mouth and throat ; rapid swelling of the left cheek, of 

 the upper lip, and eyelids; the following night, swelling of 

 both fore-arms to double their natural size, with coriaceous 

 skin, insupportable itching, and violent heat. Four days after, 

 there appeared on the hands and fore arms pustules like those 

 of the itch ; some of them on bursting gave a limpid humour. 

 On inoculating the fore- arm with this liquid, fresh pustules 

 were produced. The places on the finger to which the juice 

 had been applied presented two small tumours, about the size 



