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POISONOUS FOOD 



Two varieties of Paspalum scrobiculatum are known in India — 

 viz., the sweet, which is called ' pechadi,' or ' goraharik,' and is said 

 to be wholesome; and the bitter, which is called ' dhome, majara 

 harik ' or ' mana kodra,' and is considered to be poisonous. The 

 poison appears to reside for the most part in the testa, but the 

 exact poisonous principle is not known. Barry points out that 

 the seed is liable to the attacks of fungi, and that perhaps the 

 poisoning is really due to these parasites. It is clear that the 

 whole subject requires revision. 



Symptomatology.— The symptoms are vertigo, impairment of 

 vision, apparent intoxication, muscular tremors, feeble pulse, cold 

 clammy skin, dysphagia, delirium, narcosis, ending at times in death. 



Diagnosis. — This must be mainly from poisoning due to Lolium, 

 which can only be done by making inquiries as to the seeds from 

 which the flour is prepared. 



Prognosis.- — ^This appears to be on the whole good, though fatal 

 cases have been recorded. 



Treatment.- — -Similar to loliismus. 



Prophylaxis.— Avoid the seeds of the grass in making flour. 

 Atriplicismus. 



Atriplicismus (Matignon, 1898) is an intoxication said to be caused 

 by the ingestion of certain species of Atriplex (Linnaeus), especially 

 Atriplex littoralis L. and A. angustissima vel serrata. 



History.- — Atriplicismus was first described by Matignon in North 

 China (Pekin) in 1898, but he leaves the subject open to some doubt. 



Climatology.- — The disease is, as far as is known, confined to China. 



etiology. — In some way the disease is connected with Atriplex 

 serrata (Chenopodiaceae), which grows as a weed in the courts, 

 gardens, and along the walls of the houses of Pekin, and is eaten 

 by very poor people either uncooked or as a pancake. 



It is said never to be poisonous if well washed, and if the red 

 leaves are picked out. But Matignon drew attention to the fact 

 that a small insect of a greenish-yellow colour is found on the plant. 

 It is possible that the disease may be due to this insect, because 

 Megnin found that Holothyrus coccinella Gervais, a mite found in 

 Mauritius and the Malay Archipelago, causes severe inflammation of 

 the part touched. This insect may be carried by the hand to the 

 mouth. Laveran thinks that the people get the thumb and forefinger 

 infected while plucking the herb, and that it is by the hand that the 

 disease is carried to the mouth . The aetiology is, therefore, extremely 

 doubtful , and it may be either an animal or a vegetal poisoning. 



The predisposing cause is scarcity of food, which compels the 

 poorer classes to use some substitute for the usual cereals. Hence 

 in Pekin in 1895, while the Japanese War was proceeding, there 

 were a number of cases among beggars. Women suffer more than 

 men, and the young and the old are specially attacked. 



Morbid Anatomy. — ^The pathology and morbid anatomy are quite 

 unknown. 



