628 COLCHICUM 



doses are emetic, cathartic, and cholagogue. Its diuretic 

 and diaphoretic actions are uncertain. 



Toxic EFFECTS. The corm, whether used green or dry, 

 the seed, any active preparation, and still more notably 

 colchicine, are in-contact irritants. Owing to the active 

 principle being slightly soluble they have little action on the 

 sound skin. When swallowed, a sense of acridity is produced 

 in the mouth and throat, and the flow of saliva is increased. 

 Passing into the stomach and bowels they cause colic, 

 tenesmus, and diarrhoea, and in carnivora nausea and 

 vomiting. Absorption is slow, and the effect on the central 

 nervous system is not seen for from one to several hours. 

 This action consists in depression, with ah 1 the signs of 

 collapse. The circulation and respiration are only affected 

 as part of the general depression. Movement is lessened, 

 and paralysis, commencing in the hind limbs, extends 

 forwards. There is some amount of anaesthesia of the skin 

 in the later stages from paralysis of sensory nerves. Death 

 occurs from paralysis of respiration. 



A cow and heifer ate some cut grass containing a consider- 

 able amount of meadow saffron. In a few hours they had 

 violent colic, profuse and bloody diarrhoea, tenderness of 

 the abdomen, coldness of the surface, and prostration. 

 The cow recovered ; the heifer died from irritation and 

 exhaustion in three days. A number of cows ate small 

 quantities of colchicum, suffered from colic and diarrhoea, 

 but recovered when treated with emollient drenches and 

 mild saline mixtures. Three cattle having eaten colchicum 

 were reported to have suffered from dulness, stupor, 

 grinding of the teeth, dilated pupils, imperceptible pulse, 

 relaxed bowels, cold extremities, and thirst, but no griping 

 pains, or quickened breathing. They were successfully 

 treated by laxatives and stimulants. 



Dogs and cats are more susceptible than horses or rumi- 

 nants. Two drachms of the dried bulb caused in dogs 

 vomiting, bloody evacuations, diuresis, tremors of the 

 limbs, depression of the heart action, and death in five hours. 

 A tenth of a grain of colchicine given to a cat occasioned 

 salivation, vomiting, purging, staggering, extreme languor, 

 colic, and death in twelve hours. Rabbits, as well as frogs 



