Rhus Venenata

(Foison-Siimach. )

BoTANrcAii Descbiption. — The Sitae Venenaia or Poison Sumach is also known as Poieon-wood, PoUon-aeh, and iu appropriately as Polaon-^lder and Poiaon-dog-wood. This has been componnded witli the Mhiis vemite' of Linnseus, a species which grows in Japan. It is a shrub or small tree, from tea to twenty, acd even thirty feet in height, with the trunk from one to five inches in diameter, branching at the top, and corered with a pale- grayish hark, which is reddish on the leaf-stalks and ground-shoots.

" Rhus Venenaia grows in low meadows and swamps, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, flowering from May to August. The milky juice which flows when the plant is wounded, is similar in its action to tiiat of the Rhus toxicodendron, and may, according to Bigelow.be made into a bean tiftil shining and permanent vainish, by boiling, very analogous to that obtained in J apan from tlie Rhus iieritix. It is more poisonous tlian llie B. toxicodenilron, and lis volatile principle taints the air for some distance around witli its pernicious influence, producing in many persons severe Bwellings of an erysipelatous nature; sometimes the body becomes greatly

dbyGoogle

KHU9 VENENATA. 547

swollen, and the persona unable to mo¥e. Some persons are hardly, or not at all affected, even by handling it. The affection caused bj it, gen- erally abates after several days, and may be treated in the same manner as named for the poisonous effects of the Rhus toxicodendron." — King. Officihsi.

Pbeparatiobs Tincture of the baikor leaves; dilutions Anaixwcbs.— ^nacar(Zj'«™, Olematis, Gomoeladm, Oroton tig, Xanuneulut, Shus tox., rod and vemix, [From provings by Oeheme, Boyi, and Bwrt^ Mental Sphere. Great Badness, no desire to live; everything seems gloomy. Absence of mind; cannot concentrate the mind on any par- ticular subject.

Mental labor increased the pain.

*Dii]l, heavy, frontal headache, aggravated by walking and stooping.

* Dizzy sensations, worse in evenings; intolerable heaviness

of the head,

* Great swelling of the head, face, and hande, with sharp, irri-

tating fever,

* Erysipelas of the head and face.

" Vesicular erysipelas of the face and scalp, {Male)

* Eyes closed from the great swelling of the cellular tissue

around them.

* Profuse lachryraation; constant dull aching pains in the eye

Deafness that is quite troublesome.

* Vesicular inflammation of the ears, exuding a yeUow, watery

serum.

Great dryness of the nostrils— obstruction of the nostrils. ° Erysipelatous redness of the nose.

Pace. *Face very red, swollen, and covered with vesicles, itching and burning.

dbyGooglc

548 EI

*NoEe and rigtt side of the face mncli swollen, , especially

under right eye. *Face hot, itching and burning in different parts of the face,

especially the left cheek.

* Scalded feeling of the tongue, salty, flat, rough t^te. {Sale.')

* The centre and base coated white, the sides are very red. {Ih.)

* Vesicles on the nnder side of the tongae with a scalded

feeling.

* Mucous membrane of the mouth is very red. {lb.)

" Eed vesicular eruption on the gums of the upper incisors.

Constant dry irritative feeling in the fauces. Tonsils red and congested, with dull aeliing distress in them, Throat very sore, red and swollen.

Distress and pain in the stomach and umbilicus. Loss of appetite, wants to drink a great deal. ° Dyspepsia, with red txjngue, and tendency to erysipelas.

bowels, followed by a soft diarrhceie stool. Pains always worse betbre a stool, but an evacuation does not

stop the pain. Stool almost white, thin, papeseent.

in the anus. Pains in the bowels worse in the morning.

(Ko notice taken of any urinary symptoms).

dbyGooglc

KHU8 TENESATA. 549

" Scrotum mnch swollen, deep red color, covered with vesicles.

* Stifi' neck, or " crick in the neck," and rheumatic pains be- tween the shoulders.

Constant dull pains in the cervical dorsal and lumbar regions.

Back is very stiff.

Itching at night on the back, but in the daytime on the face, neck and hands.

° Lumbago, fi-om a strain or a cold.

Upper Extremities.

Severe pains in the left elbow joint

Drawing pains in the fore-arms.

Rheumatic pains in the shoulders and elbow joints, worse dur- ing motion.

Wrists and fingers are very stiff, constant acliing distress.

Constant desquamation of the cuticle of the palms of the hands and fingere.

Violent itching of the palms of the hands, with watery vesicles on them.

Groups of watery vesicles on the fingers.

(Edema of the back of the hand.

Lower Extremities.

Knees and ankles ache constantly, with great weakness.

Dull, drawing pains and distress in the knees.

Ankles very red and swollen, with watery vesicles all over the ankles, feet and toes, dischargeing large quantities of water.

Large watery blisters on the sides of the feet.

Intolerable itching of tlie ankles, feet and toes, worse from warmth.

Joints are very stiff in the morning, relieved by exercise.

Pains in the ankles are worse in the afternoons and evenings.

The itching and burning subdued by bathing in cold water.

Chills up and down the back, when warm and in a warm

dbyGooglc

6.50 EICrNUS COMMUNIS.

Increased temperature of the inflamed parts.

° Erysipelatous inflammations.

" Typhoid fever (indications the same as Ehus tox., and rad.)

Large Assures on the ends of the fingers, that bleed easily. Fine vesicular eruptions on the fore-anns, wrists, back of the

Tlie symptoms all aggravated before a rain. The joints all stiff in the mornings.

The itching and burning of the skin aggravated by 'warmth After exercise the stiflhess passes away.

Great restlessness at night, with a dry, hot skin.