Anacardium Occidentale

Cashew Nut. Anacardiacece

The common cashew-nut from the West Indies. It is easily distin- guished from our Anacardium which comes from the East Indies, by its being kidney-shaped, while the Oriental nut, our well-proved medicine, is heart-shaped. It was never proved and is only known by the frequent cases of poisoning which occur from peeling or roasting the nut. The kernel is edible but it is advisable first to remove the germ between the halves.

The poisonous black juice contained between the outer and inner shell contains two peculiar principles, Anacardic acid and Cardol. Poisonings are frequently mistaken for Rhus-poisoning.

The effects on the skin are mentioned by C. Hg. in CI. Miillers Vierteljahr- schrift in 1861, Vol. 12, p. 276. No cures on record excepting from Segin in Hygea.

^ Mind. I Loss of will ; cannot control the voluntary muscles. d Paralysis with imbecility. BDid not know his surroundings. 6 Paralysis with imbecility.

■ Weak memory.

I Difficult thinking.

■ Melancholy.

! Hypochondriasis. ^ Sensorium. I Apathy or anaesthesia. ^ Inner Head. Tearing headache on left side. * Outer Head. ' ' Head falls forward, difl&cult to keep it up.

6 Paralysis and imbecility. ^ Eyes. : Scrofulous ophthalmia.

^ Ears. Swelling of ears with burning and itching. See 8. ^ Face. I I Erysipelas over the whole face (from applying the juice to destroy marks). Swelling of the face with itching and burning ; next night

after handling the nuts. Applied to the face to remove the cuticle and produce a fresher and more youthful appearance.

251 ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE.

Face so much swollen that for a time not a feature was dis- cernible (in a lady who was exposed to the fumes of the nut while roasting). ' Lower Part of Face. The juice corrodes the lips and mouth. ^^ Tongue. I Cannot speak, only mutters unintelligible sounds. d Paralysis and imbecility. Painfully swollen tongue from handling the nuts. ^^ Mouth. : Aphthae.

" After Meals. Drinks run out of mouth, d Paralysis with im- becility. ^^ Stool. : Dysentery. ^^ Urinary Organs. Increased urination. ^^ Male Sexual Organs. Stimulates sexual desire.

Testicles swelled when touched with the hands after handling the nuts. ^^ Female Sexual Organs. When during the menses the juice is applied, it causes erysipelas of the face. \ Uterine complaints and dropsy. 2^ Respiration. Respiration free, d Paralysis and imbecility. ^^ Heart. Pulse. I Pulse slow, moderately full, 60. ^Paralysis

with imbecility. ^^ Upper Limbs. Large blisters filled with a yellow fluid are raised on the hands, followed by desquamation. \ Warts. ^^ Lower Limbs. • Corns.

^^ Fever. Temperature of body cool, d Paralysis. ^2 Locality and Direction. Left : tearing headache.

Left to right : red itching spots. See 46. *^ Sensations. Tearing pain : in head.

Burning : and itching of ears and face. ** Tissues. : Schirrhous swellings. \ Hard excresences. : Proud flesh. *® Skin. If the hands are not washed carefully after handling the nuts, they cause itching and painful burning swellings wherever they touch the skin. • Corroding or dry tetters. Red itching spots I'ike nettle-rash similar to that of Hhus tox.,

spreading from left to right.

Used as a vesicant it causes : itching and burning ; then gradual

reddening and swelling, followed by vesicles, which become

pustular. These are large and flat at first and gradually

become confluent and break. The epidermis peels off", but

leaves surface swollen, hypergemic and suppurating for days.

The juice is used on corns, warts, ringworms and obstinate

ulcers,

*'' Stages of Life, Constitution. lA woman, set. 70, lost two

grown up children who died in the insane asylum ; ulcers on

ANAC. OCC. AND ORIENT. 252

the leg and attacks of vertigo so that she fell from the chair ; a year ago had what was called an apoplectic attack, d Par- alysis with imbecility.

A lady, swollen face, from exposure to the fumes when roast- ing the nuts. See 8. ^^ Relationship. Collateral relations : Anac. orr. ; Rhoes.

Similar to : Oanthar. ; Mezer. (as a vesicant) ; Crot. tigl. ; Rhus rad. ; Rhus tox.

Antidoted by : Rhus tox.

The tincture of Iodine was found useful as a local application to the parts affected.