140 PHYTOTOXINS AXD ZOOTOXINS 



Physiological Action. — Their poisonous action is manifold, most 

 prominent being agglutination of the erj'throcytes, local cellular de- 

 struction, and, to a less extent, hemolysis. Jacoby believes that in 

 ricin there are several toxic substances differing in physiological prop- 

 erties, similar to Ehrlich's findings in diphtheria toxin (toxones, 

 etc.). B}'- long action of pcpsin-HCl upon ricin, he secured a prepa- 

 ration with all the other properties of ricin except that it was inactive 

 against erythrocytes; the same result could not be obtained with 

 abrin. Heating to 65° or 70° does not destroy the toxicity of phy- 

 totoxins, but boiling does. There is a latent period of several hours 

 after injection of the poison, the onset of sj'mptoms being sudden; 

 death rarely occurs in less than fifteen to eighteen hours (Osborne 

 et al.). 



Flexner^ has studied particularly the histological changes pro- 

 duced by ricin and abrin poisoning in animals. Both act alike, af- 

 fecting the tissues much as bacterial toxins do (diphtheria). Fever, 

 albuminuria and convulsions are followed by exhaustion and lowered 

 temperature. Punctiform hemorrhages are found beneath the serous 

 surfaces, with fluid in the peritoneal cavity. At least in the case 

 of ricin the hemorrhages are not due to blood changes, but to a spe- 

 cial toxin destroying the endothelial cells. ^^ There occur a general 

 lymphatic enlargement and marked changes in the intestinal mucosa, 

 with swelling of the Peyer's patches. The spleen is swollen and 

 dark in color, as also is the liver, which shows much focal necrosis. 

 The glycogen content of the liver is decreased in abrin poisoning. ^^ 

 Subcutaneous injection causes local edematous inflammation without 

 suppuration. Histologically, in the most affected organs are found 

 much cellular necrosis and disintegration, especially of lymphoid and 

 epithelial cells. Changes in the capillary endothelium, fibrinous 

 thrombi, and abundant hemorrhagic extravasations are widespread. 

 Probably agglutinative thrombosis by red corpuscles plays an im- 

 portant part in these intoxications (Ehrlich), but Aschof^- ascribes 

 the thrombosis to the fragments of disintegrated marrow and blood 

 cells. The great amount of intestinal injury probably depends upon 

 the fact that these poisons are largely eliminated through the intestinal 

 mucosa. There are also severe changes in the bone marrow, accom- 

 panied by the appearance of micleated (M ytlnocytes in the blood. ^•■' 



Mushroom Poisons.'^ — The jjoisons of the three chief poisonou.s imishrooms, 

 Avinnitd viuscari'i, IlcivcUa escitlrnta, and Amnnita ph nil aides, differ from one 

 another quite essentially. The poisonous principles of tiie first and second, 

 muscarine and helvellic acid, are non-protein substances, of known chemical com- 



» Jour. Kxper. Med., 1897 (2), 197. 

 '" Amer. Jour. Med. Sei., 190.3 (12(>), 200. 

 " Doyon, Coinpt. Ifend. Soc. liiol., 1909 (t)7), ^50. 

 '= Arch. Int. Med., ]\i\A (12), iiOA. 

 '•' HuntiuK, .Jour. Kxper. Med., 190() (8), t)2'). 



'Miesume l)y Mtirner, TTpsala L:ikaref. Korh.. I9I9 (21). 1. l'atli(»l()Kical 

 anatomy described I)y TryMi, xirchows .\rehiv.. 1919 (22(1), 229. 



