- stance have occurred in the human subject; and a few have proved
fatal. Tulpius notices the case of a man who was nearly carried off by profuse, bloody diarrhœa, in consequence of taking a decoction of three colocynth apples.[1] Orfila relates that of a rag-picker, who, attempting to cure himself of a gonorrhœa by taking three ounces of colocynth, was seized with vomiting, acute pain in the stomach, profuse diarrhœa, dimness of sight, and slight delirium; but he recovered under the use of diluents and local blood-letting.[2] In 1823 a coroner's inquest was held at London on the body of a woman who died in twenty-four hours, with incessant vomiting and purging, in consequence of having swallowed by mistake a teaspoonful and a half of colocynth powder.[3] M. Carron d'Annecy has communicated to Orfila the details of an instructive case, which also proved fatal. The subject was a locksmith, who took from a quack two glasses of decoction of colocynth to cure hemorrhoids, and was soon after attacked with colic, purging, heat in the belly, and dryness of the throat. Afterwards the belly became tense and excessively tender, and the stools were suppressed altogether. Next morning he had also retention of urine, retraction of the testicles and priapism. On the third day the retention ceased, but the other symptoms continued, and the skin became covered with clammy sweat, which preceded his death only a few hours. The intestines were red, studded with black spots, and matted together by fibrinous matter; the usual fluid of peritonitis was effused into the belly; the villous coat of the stomach was here and there ulcerated; and the liver, kidneys, and bladder also exhibited traces of inflammation.[4]
Of Poisoning with Elaterium.
Elaterium, which is procured from a third plant of the cucurbitaceæ, the Momordica elaterium or squirting cucumber, possesses precisely the same properties with the two preceding substances. It appears, however, to be more active; for a single grain has been known to act violently on man. There can be no doubt that small doses will prove fatal; but its strength and consequently its effects are uncertain. British elaterium, which is the feculence that subsides in the juice of the fruit, is the most powerful; French elaterium, which is the extract of the same juice, is much weaker; and a still weaker preparation sometimes made is an extract of the juice of the whole plant. The plant itself is probably poisonous. But the only case in point with which I am acquainted is a singular instance of poisoning, apparently produced in consequence of the plant having been carried for some time betwixt the hat and head. A medical gentleman in Paris, after carrying a specimen to his lodgings in his hat, was seized in half an hour with acute pain and sense of tightness in the head, succeeded by colic pains, fixed pain in the stomach,
