symptoms is given by Hahnemann. "They are," says he, "a gradual sinking of the powers of life, without any violent symptom,—a nameless feeling of illness, failure of the strength, slight feverishness, want of sleep, lividity of the countenance, and an aversion to food and drink and all the other enjoyments of life. Dropsy closes the scene, along with black miliary eruptions, and convulsions, or colliquative perspiration and purging."[1]
Whatever were its real effects, there appears no doubt it was long used secretly in Italy to a fearful extent, the monster who has given her name to it having confessed that she was instrumental in the death of no less than six hundred persons. It has been already stated, however [p. 40], that she owed her success rather to the ignorance of the age than to her own dexterity. At all events, the art of secret poisoning cannot now be easily practised. Indeed even the vulgar dread of it is almost extinct. Partly on account of the improvement in general knowledge and chiefly in consequence of the subtility and precision, which the refinement of modern physic and chemistry have introduced into medico-legal inquiries, it is rare that the suspicious scrutiny of the world now "recognizes in the accounts of the last illness of popes and princes the effects of poison insidiously introduced into the body."[2]
I may add in conclusion, that I was consulted a few years ago on the part of the crown in a case which considerably resembled the effects ascribed in former times to the aqua Toffana, except that it was more acute in its character and swifter in its progress. As this case will probably be found to represent pretty nearly the usual effects of moderate doses frequently repeated, it is here given in some detail.
A woman of indifferent character married a young man in circumstances which led to a breach between him and his relatives; but the pair appeared to live on good terms with one another. Eighteen months after the marriage she was attacked with sickness and faintness; and on the fourth day of this illness, while she was recovering, the symptoms unexpectedly increased, and she seemed very unwell. On the fifth day she became extremely weak, and suffered much from yellow vomiting. On the seventh, when she was first visited by a medical man, she had frequent vomiting, burning in the stomach, a yellow tongue, flushed countenance, hot skin, and hurried pulse. On the ninth the throat was sore and red, and the expression anxious; and next day the soreness was greater, affected the nose and mouth also, and was attended with excoriation of the lips and nostrils, swelling of the glands of the throat, dimness of sight, and great exhaustion. On the eleventh day, while previously again getting better, she became much worse, and suffered greatly from excessive vomiting, pain in the stomach, and an increase of the other symptoms. On the thirteenth she was very hoarse, and despaired of
