PURELY NARCOTIC POISONINGS (NEUROTICS). 253 



paralysis, complete insensibility to various external stimulants, loss 

 of consciousness, coma, acceleration of the pulse ; normal appetite ; 

 nutritive changes, and diabetes when the disease lasts for a certain 

 time. The evolution is sometimes very rapid (death occurring 

 within a few hours), or it may be subacute (lasting two to eight 

 days), or chronic (duration of several weeks). 



In the ox, an obstinate diarrhea and symptoms of paralysis 

 predominate when the animals have ingested shave-grass in large 

 quantities ; but when the feeding of these plants has been continued 

 for some time, cachexia, hydremia, and paralytic weakness gradually 

 appear. 



Autopsy. Hyperemia, œdema of the nervous centres, and espe- 

 cially of the cerebellum (Schmitt). Ventricular and arachnoidal 

 dropsy, also hyperemia when the disease is old. In some cases 

 we see inflammatory alterations of the mucous membrane of the 

 stomach and intestine. 



Treatment. A change of diet, purgatives, stimulants, camphor; 

 also derivative applications along the vertebral column. 



According to Yiborg, Equisetum disease,'^ also called mal 

 d^êbriété, was regarded as a serious disease by the ancients (Pliny). 

 Spinola^ considers the Equisetum palustre as one of the causes of 

 vertigo. This plant contains a narcotic poison which is still un- 

 known, but which reminds us of the effects of alcohol. The in- 

 dications of authors about the degree of toxicity of the different 

 shave-grasses, and upon the susceptibility of the various animal 

 species (horse, ox, sheep) are quite contradictory ; nevertheless, it 

 seems to be evident that the toxic property of shave-grasses, as 

 well as that of lupins, is influenced by the soil, climate, mode of 

 preservation, etc. Certain authors affirm that the equiseta are 

 inoffensive when mixed with other fodder, which gives rise to the 

 supposition that the organism becomes gradually used to them, and 

 acquires a kind of immunity by consuming small quantities of these 

 plants. They have also found that hay containing much shave- 

 grass becomes innocuous six months after the harvest, or after 

 being Avashed by rain. Schwartz has communicated to us the 

 following curious information : The Equisetum arvense grows abun- 

 dantly on the banks of the Vistula and upon the two highlands 

 separated by this stream ; it is considered a dangerous grass, desig- 

 nated under the name of Heermoos, and it enters frequently — to 



1 Spinola : Handbuch der spec. Pathologie. 



