THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 253 



being quite closed), as well as the upper lip, chin, and the back of the 

 right cheek, where there were a few isolated, raised red spots. The 

 colour was sharply defined, and on the chin was a yellow crust resem- 

 bling the crusts of eczema. On the inner side of each thigh at the 

 upper part was a large red, less sharply-defined patch, with one or two 

 transparent vesicles ; and on the lower part of the abdomen were a 

 few spots resembling those on the right hand and wrist. The erup- 

 tion caused considerable itching." This, and numerous other cases 

 which have come under my observation amply illustrate the erratic 

 nature of the poisonous volatile principle which renders the 

 resinous juice of the marking-nut so harmful, and at times even 

 dangerous. The boy recovered under suitable treatment and left the 

 hospital in a fortnight. The point noticeable about this case is that 

 a playmate of the above patient was painted with the juice at the 

 same time, and in consequence suffered from symptoms which Mr. 

 J. D. Roberts, under whose care he was placed, describes as being 

 similar to those of the cases I have cited. Mr. Duran notes that Dr. 

 White of Harvard University characterizes the eruption as eczema- 

 tous, and states that he has never seen it take on a really erysipelatous 

 type. The duration of the disturbances generally varies from five to 

 six weeks. {Opus cit., page 520.) " These cases show," observes Mr. 

 Duran, " that the period of time which may elapse between the appli- 

 cation of the irritant and the development of the symptoms" may be 

 so great as to render it difficult to trace the latter and " connect them 

 with their real cause." Dr. White is said by Mr. Duran to observe, 

 with reference to a similar peculiarity of the American genera of the 

 Anacardiacece, that (l the time required for the development of the 

 visible manifestations o f the poison upen the skin after contact with 

 the Rhus* or its emanations seems to vary greatly ; for he found 

 that, though shorter periods might occur, three, four, and five 

 days were repeatedly given, by patients especially susceptible to 

 its action as the interval between contact and the appearance of the 

 eruption." 



In the papers published under the head of c ' Indian Museum at 

 South Kensington" in the " London Pharmaceutical Journal" (p. 181, 



* Rhus toxicodendron and R, venenata, already referred to in this paper, 



