Agaricus Phalloides

A. phalloides, Fr. (A. bulbosus, Bull., in part.) Amanita bulbosa, Lam. A small stinking species, common in Europe, and in United States (Pennsylvania). Poisonous. Common name , L'Oronge-ciguë.

Authority. Poison cases. (Tox. Lafargue J. de Chim. Méd., 1863).

Stupor.

Frightful pains in head, [t] .

Eye. Pupil much dilated, with impaired vision, [t] .

Very anxious expression of face, [t] .

Teeth and gums black, [t] . Cold tongue , [t] .

Tongue red, dry, [t] .

Breath cold, [t] .

Ulcerated mouth, [t] .

Trismus, [t] .

Unable to answer questions, or express his feelings by words, [t] .

Speech indistinct, [t] .

Speech slow and difficult, [t] .

Throat dry, [t] .

Vomiting of all liquids, [t] .

Painful sensations in pit of stomach and upper abdomen, [t] .

Violent pains in epigastrium, which rapidly spread over the whole abdomen, [t] .

Pains in epigastrium, greatly increased by pressure, [t] .

Tense abdomen , [t] . Abdomen feels hard and tumid, [t] .

Abdomen painful, [t] .

Unendurable pains in hypogastrium and lumbar region, [t] .

Suppression of urine , [t] .

Anuria, [t] .

Respiratory Apparatus.

Voice hoarse, [t] .

Respiration short, [t] .

Heart And Pulse. Pulse full, rapid (later action), [t] .

Pulse hard and frequent, [t] .

Pulse slow and somewhat irregular, [t] . Pulse small and intermittent, [t] .

Pulse hardly perceptible, [t] .

Extremities In General.

Cold extremities, [t] .

Skin of extremities lost their elasticity, [t] .

Lower Extremities.

Drawing back of limbs, [t] .

Convulsions and death (in two children), [t] . Convulsions violent, [t] .

Slight convulsive motions in the legs and arms, which gradually extend to the muscles of the trunk, and cause irregular distortions of the whole body, [t] .

Constant restlessness, [t] .

Very painful cramps, [t] .

Debility , [t] .

Extreme prostration , [t] . Great exhaustion, [t] . General malaise, [t] . He staggers as if intoxicated, and with old gesticulations, labors to express his sufferings, but cannot articulate a syllable, [t] . Development of a "true cholera," [t] .

Sometimes a kind of cholera sets in, which saves the patient; but, in general, when cured, their convalescence is protracted, [t] . One of the most remarkable characteristics about this drug is, that its poisonous effects do not develop until ten to twelve hours after eating it. (Colchicum resembles it in this respect.) The fungus is exceedingly fatal; twenty-three out of thirty-eight cases died (Boudier). Other collected cases show thirteen out of twenty-nine (Husemann).

The effects of this drug resemble most clearly a most violent attack of cholera.

Livid skin, [t] . Body covered with livid spots, [t] .

Marked chilliness , [t] . Skin cool, afterwards hot, [t] .

Skin hot, [t] .

Skin covered with sweat, [t] .

Sweat cold , [t] .

Sleep And Dreams.

Somnolence.

( Pressure ), Pain in epigastrium.

SUPPLEMENT: AGARICUS PHALLOIDES.

Coma and rattling respiration before death, [3] .

Vertigo always on rising up, without loss of consciousness, [3] . [90.] Violent pains in the head, [3] .

Eye. Pupils dilated, [3] .

Face pale, sunken; eyes sunken, weak, and lustreless; nose and mouth dry, [3] .

Tetanic closure of the jaws, with at times grating of the teeth, [3] .

Speech stammering, [3] .

Constant burning sensation in the pharynx after vomiting, [3] .

Violent vomiting and diarrhoea, [3] .

No vomiting, [3] .

Abdomen meteoric, [3] .

Abdomen sunken, [3] . [100.]

Involuntary stools. [3] .

Stools yellowish-white, liquid, [3] .

Secretion of urine scanty, [3] .

Pulse rapid, thready, [3] .

Pulse very small and rapid, [3] .

Pulse at the wrist not felt in two cases, but in the carotids it was very weak and rapid, [3] .

Convulsions of the upper extremities, [3] .

Lower extremities bluish, [3] .

Lower extremities cyanotic, [3] .

First Case.

A woman, aet. thirty-three years, ate a quantity of the mushrooms at dinner. At 10 P.M. she was taken with a very severe headache and intense thirst, soon followed by pains in the abdomen, vomiting of black substances, but no stools. At 4 A.M. she had an emetic and a cathartic, which produced profuse vomiting and diarrhoea. The next day she was admitted to the hospital; the skin was cold and dry, the eyes sunken, the face had the aspect of one suffering from cholera; the pains in the abdomen were very severe, and forced cries from the patient.

The vomiting and hiccough continued, and the patient complained excessively of burning heat in the throat, and of violent pains in the articulations, especially of the ankles, aggravated by movement. The abdomen was very sensitive, but not tympanitic. The pulse was small and rapid, the body very cold, but the extremities were not violet. The cutaneous sensibility was decidedly diminished, especially over the chest, abdomen, thighs, and arms.

The pupils were irregularly and considerably contracted, the left forming a mere black central point, the right being a little larger; both were insensible to light. She responded slowly to questions, constantly complained of the articular pains, from time to time became much agitated and uttered cries. There were frequently involuntary black stools, without tenesmus. The temperature was 36.6°.

Second Case. A woman, aet. thirty-three years, ate some of the mushrooms. Eight hours afterwards she noticed weakness of the limbs and intense thirst; about 9 o'clock she was seized with the most intense pains in the abdomen. At 11 o'clock there were vomiting and diarrhoea, with tenesmus; the vomiting was incessant, accompanied by very violent pain in the pit of the stomach and throat.

Extreme restlessness caused by the pain; she could not remain in bed. Thirst was intense, but she vomited everything she took. The next day, at 5 P.M., the skin was cold and dry, there was profound prostration, and the stomach and abdomen were painful. There was incessant hiccough, from time to time, accompanied by regurgitations.

Pulse small, rapid. Heart's action very feeble, but not irregular. Diarrhoea very profuse, without odor. There was no urine.

Pupils contracted, but mobile. Skin cool, temperature 37.8°. She received syrup of ether, coffee, and digitalis.

Third Case. A man was brought to the hospital in a state of profound coma; the face was bluish, cyanotic, eyes sunken, devoid of expression, pupils contracted, heart's action very slow, exceedingly feeble. Pulse imperceptible, respiration stertorous. Extremities cold; nails blue.

The patient looked like on suffering from cholera. Complete loss of sensibility. It was stated that after eating the mushrooms he was taken with violent pain in the abdomen, diarrhoea, vomiting, and chilliness, and fell into a state of coma, when the vomiting and diarrhoea ceased. Just before death respiration became feeble, the heart ceased to beat, and the pupils became wildly dilated, [4] .

Two hours afterwards seized with headache, giddiness, violent pain in the stomach, sickness, ardent thirst, and trembling of all the limbs, and had ultimately fallen into a comatose state. The mother and eldest son, who was an adult, vomited freely, with considerable relief; the others passed the whole night under violent pain in the stomach, great sickness and retching, ischuria, tenesmus, and general convulsions. In the morning all dangerous symptoms had subsided, except in the youngest boy, who had refused to take the emetic, and who was senseless, with general convulsions, trismus, tympanitis, and great dyspnoea; his eyes were staring, the countenance flushed, the extremities cold, and the pulse hard and intermitting.

Under these symptoms he died, apparently suffocated. The others complained of very violent colic, pains around the navel, and giddiness, and one of the girls was affected with hiccough, [2] . [110.]

Rigid and speechless, [3] .

Patient extremely weak, [3] .

Great restlessness, tossing about the bed; convulsive movements of the extremities, [3] .

Skin pale and cold, [3] . Skin cold, [3] .