EUPHORBIA OFFICINARUM. 273 
farrier, in the dark, through mistake for rhubarb ; burning heat 
in the throat and then in the stomach, vomiting, irregular hur- 
ried pulse, and cold perspirations were the leading symptoms. 
The person died in three days; gangrenous spots were found 
in the stomach, and the coats tore with the slightest touch 
(Furnival, in Brande’s Journ., vol. iii. p. 51). In the case 
related in the Philosophical Transactions for 1760, many of the 
symptoms are attributable to the Camphor. 
Dr. Christison states that probably all species of Euphorbium 
possess the same properties as the E. officinarum. Orfila 
found the E. Cyparissias and E. Lathyris produced precisely 
the same effects. Dr. Hood relates the case of a child who ate 
some of the seed of the E. Lathyris (or Caper Spurge), soon 
after he vomited severely, which is the usual effect. Drowsi- 
ness, however, succeeded, and after a few returns of yomiting, 
which was promoted by an emetic, deep sleep gradually came on, 
broken by convulsions, stertorous breathing, and sighs; sensi- 
bility was somewhat restored by blood-letting and the warm 
bath; after which the tendency to sleep was interrupted by 
frequent agitation and exercise in the open air; the vomiting 
then recurred for a time, and the child got well. 
The seeds of this species (Caper Spurge) are used by the 
inhabitants of the northern Alps, in doses of fifteen grains, as 
an emetic. — 
Spregel applied the juice of E. Lathyris to his face, which 
produced an eruption like nettle-rash; and he also found that _ 
it caused the hair to drop out, and warts to fall off (Orfila, 
vol. i. p. 712). 
Scopili mentions that the Euphorbia Esula produced death 
in a woman in half an hour after she had swallowed thirty 
grains of the root; and also, that he witnessed gangrene and 
death follow the application of the same plant to the abdomen. 
The same author states that in a person who allowed his closed 
eyelids to be rubbed with the juice of this species, inflammation 
followed, and was succeeded by the loss of the eye. 
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