POISONOUS FOOD 



Diagnosis. — Lathyrism must be distinguished from ergotism by 

 the absence of gangrene, from beri-beri by the absence of implica- 

 tion of the peripheral nerves and the heart, and the absence of 

 dropsy. 



Prognosis. — The disease itself is not fatal. 



Treatment.^ — ^Mild cases may be considerably benefited by being 

 given good food and warm clothing, together with counter-irrita- 

 tion to the spine, and bromide of potassium internally in 15-grain 

 doses three times a day. Strychnine is harmful. 



Prophylaxis. — The only possible prophylaxis is the distribution 

 of good food to the poor in times of famine. 



Loliismus. 



Loliismus is an intoxication caused by the ingestion of the seeds 

 of Lolium temulentum Linnaeus in bread. 



History.^ — Loliismus has been known since Roman times, and is 

 said by Orfila to have occurred in Genoa during the blockade of 

 the year 1800. Kingsley of Roscrea described an outbreak in 

 1854, in which thirty persons suffered severely. Similar cases 

 have been reported in India from the Punjaub, where the herb 

 is called ' mostaki,' and from the North-West Provinces, where it is 

 called ' moschni.' 



etiology." — ^The exact method by which Lolium temulentum 

 causes disease is not known. Dr. Cordier experimented on himself 

 by taking 6 drachms of the seeds early one morning, and asserts 

 that the result was inability to think, indistinct vision, torpor, 

 debility, and drowsiness, followed by efforts to vomit, and later by 

 tremors of the limbs, great depression, difficulty of speech, and 

 vomiting. Bley separated a bitter principle, which he called loliin, 

 but the action of this does not appear to have been investigated 

 properly. Freeman states that the seeds owe their poisonous pro- 

 perties to an associated symbiotic fungus, which he carefully 

 describes, and says that it is probably identical with that found 

 in other species of Lolium. He says that it is a disputed point 

 how far ergot and other fungi may be concerned in the production 

 of the disease. 



Climatology. — It occurs in the Punjaub and the North-West 

 Provinces of India, and in Europe. 



Pathology and Morbid Anatomy. — Not known. 



Symptomatology. — The affected persons become very giddy, and 

 stagger about as though drunk, and at the same time suffer from 

 violent tremblings in the arms, legs, and tongue, impairment of 

 vision with dilated pupils, green vision, great prostration, and in 

 some cases vomiting. Sometimes there is a sense of burning heat 

 in the mouth and throat, and a small irregular pulse. 



Diagnosis.— The diagnosis may be effected by considering the 

 symptoms and examining the bread, when the starch granules of 

 Lolium may be seen. 



Prognosis. — ^The disease does not end fatally. 



