190 TOXINES AND ANTITOXINES. 



rapid decrease in the weight of the body, while, with these 

 exceptions, no abnormal phenomena are noticed during the first 

 twenty-four hours. 



The decrease in the weight of the body is much greater than 

 can be accounted for merely by a condition of hunger. Rabbits 

 in a state of hunger lose only about T * T of their total weight in 

 twenty-four hours, |- after forty-eight hours, and |- after seventy- 

 two hours, whereas rabbits poisoned by ricine lose ^ to ^ of their 

 weight even after twenty-four hours. Nor can this decrease be 

 explained solely by increased decomposition of proteids. 



According to MULLER the conditions are similar to those 

 observed in animals suffering from fever. The stools contain 

 blood and albumen, and frequently blood passes into the urine. 



After twenty-four to thirty hours the fatal symptoms of 

 poisoning suddenly appear. They begin with clonic convulsions 

 and weakening of the reflexes. Then follows paralysis. After 

 fifteen minutes the convulsions are repeated, and dyspnoea and 

 feeble inspiration precede death, which results within about half 

 an hour after the first attack. 



Sometimes the convulsions do not occur. An increase in the 

 dose does not alter the symptoms, but shortens the period of 

 incubation. 



At the last there are serious central disturbances of the 

 medulla oblongata : paralysis of the vasomotors and eventually 

 of the respiration. The pressure of the blood does not fall until 

 quite late in the attack ; and death is then near. Ricine has no 

 effect upon the heart. 



Post-mortem dissection shows very characteristic results. 

 Swelling and reddening of the subcutaneous lymph glands, and 

 great stasis in the region of the blood-vessels in the abdomen ; 

 great enlargement of and red flecks in the mesentery lymph 

 glands and of Peyer's patches, and numerous ecchymoses in the 

 intestine, but no ulcerations. The spleen is much swollen and 

 soft. Histologically there are characteristic changes in the 

 blood, and notably severe leucocytosis, decomposition of cells 

 in the spinal marrow, and necrotic foci in numerous organs, 

 notably the liver. Thromboses cannot be observed. As a rule, 

 the muscle of the heart shows fatty degeneration. 



CRUZ (loc. cit.) observed, in particular, serious alterations in 

 the kidneys, but STEPANOFF was unable to detect the toxine in 

 the urine. Haemorrhage of the suprarenal bodies is also a 

 characteristic symptom. 



Death from ricine is thus primarily due to central paralyses, 

 but in addition to this the local irritant effects of the poison are 



