688 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



The minimum fatal dose of strychnin for man is one-half a grain. Usually four to seven 

 grains constitute a lethal quantity, but recovery has ensued follovving the ingestion of 22 

 grains, after a full meal. 



Horses — The toxic symptoms in horses resemble those already described in the dog. They 

 do not appear for some time (20 minutes to 6 hours), depending on the rapidity of absorption 

 when the drug is swallowed, and include excitement, muscular spasm and convulsions, in- 

 creased frequency of the pulse, and difficult respiration. Death occurs in convulsions or in 

 the interim between them. The minimum fatal dose of strychnine, when given under the 

 skin, is about 1}^ to 3 grains, and when swallowed, 3 to 5 grains of the alkaloid, or 1 to 2 ounces 

 of nux vomica. 



Cattle are similarly affected with horses and dogs. There are exhibited muscular spasms, 

 frequent pulse, difficult respiration, sensitiveness to light, sounds and external stimuli, pro- 

 trusion of the eye-balls and convulsions. The fatal dose, by the mouth, varies greatly owing to 

 difficulty of absorption in the complicated and capacious digestive apparatus of these ruminants. 

 This is true of all medicines. When given under the skin, the lethal dose is a little larger than 

 that for horses. The fatal dose for swine is said to be from gr. 1-6-gr. %. Chickens are com- 

 paratively insusceptible; also guinea pigs and some monkeys. 



Strychnin poisoning differs from tetanus in the fact that muscular rigidity is continuous 

 in the latter, but disappears to a considerable degree, if not completely, in the periods between 

 the convulsions, in the case of strychnin poisoning. Moreover, in tetanus the body and 

 limbs are less, and the jaw more affected; while in strychnin poisoning the condition is reversed. 



Treatment — -The treatment embraces the use of chemical antidotes, as iodine or its salts, 

 or tannic acid; animal charcoal and emetics or the stomach tube, before absorption has occurred. 

 The best physiological antidote is chloral in large doses per rectum. Chloroform and nitrate 

 of amyl may also be given by inhalation, and quiet and rest enforced. Artificial respiration is 

 of no service on account of the muscular spasms, unless air be forcibly driven into the trachea 

 through a canula. Calabar bean and gelsemium both depress the inferior cornua, but neither 

 is of much value in strychnin poisoning. 



A large number of the cases of poisoning are fatal ; according to Schauen- 

 stein 62 out of the 130 reported by him proved fatal. According to Falk, the 

 minimum lethal dose is as follows : .6 mgrm. strychnin nitrate for rabbit per 

 kilogramm; cats, .75 mgrm; frogs, 2 mgrm. In one case J4 grain strychnin 

 sulphate produced death in 20 minutes, in another case 7/10 grain was required. 

 The so-called vermin killers contain strychnin. 



Strychnin is the best remedy to stimulate the action of the heart, and to 

 promote appetite and digestion. It is valuable in chronic tympanites of cattle. 



The St. Ignatius or False Angustura Bark {S. Ignatii) of the Philippine 

 Islands, much used in medicine in the Philippines, contains the same substance 

 as .S*. Nux-vomica. The S. malaccensis of Tonquin is used as a remedy for 

 leprosy. Pink root {Spigelia marilandica) is a perennial herb; with opposite 

 sessile leaves ; tubular funnel-form corolla, red outside, yellow within ; 6 sta- 

 mens; slender style; short 2-celled capsule; found from Ohio to Florida and 

 Texas. It contains a volatile alkaloid spigelin resembling coniin and a bitter 

 acrid principle. It is a powerful anthelmintic. According to Hyams, when 

 taken in overdoses it excites the circulation, causes dimness of vision, vertigo, 

 dilated pupils, spasms of facial muscles and general convulsions, followed by 

 death. It is especially fatal to children. Dr. True reported the plant to be 

 poisonous. According to Dr. Stockberger this is frequently adulterated with 

 Ruellia ciliosa (East Tennessee Pink-root). The prepared drug may contain, 

 as impurities, roots of golden seal, serpentaria, soapwort, wild yam, and stone- 

 wort. 



Gelsemium, Juss. Yellow Jasmine 



Smooth vines with opposite or whorled leaves; flowers in axillary cymes, 

 regular, perfect; calyx deeply S-parted; corolla funnel-form, S>-lobed; stamens 5, 

 inserted on the tube of the corolla; pistil with a 2-celled ovary; style slender, 



