Symptoms in Man.—Upon man its effects as a poison have been frequently noticed, partly in consequence of its being given by mistake in too large a dose as a medicine, partly on account of the singular property it possesses, in common with mercury, of accumulating silently in the system, when given long in moderate doses, and at length producing constitutional effects even after it has been discontinued. The effects of a dose somewhat larger than is usually given, are great nausea, frontal headache, sense of disagreeable dryness in the gums and pharynx, some salivation, giddiness, weakness of the limbs, feebleness and increased frequency of the pulse, in a few hours an appearance of sparks before the eyes, and subsequently dimness of vision, and a feeling of pressure on the eye-balls. These effects may be occasioned by so small a dose as two or three grains of good foxglove.[1] The symptoms arising from its gradual accumulation are in the slighter cases nausea, vomiting, giddiness, want of sleep, sense of heat throughout the body, and of pulsation in the head, general depression, great languor and commonly retardation of the pulse, sometimes diarrhœa, sometimes salivation, and for the most part profuse sweating. A good instance of this form of the effects of foxglove is mentioned in the Medical Gazette. A man took it at his own hand for dropsy during twenty days, when the pulse sank to half its previous frequency, he was seized with restless, want of sleep, incoherent talking with imaginary persons, dilated pupils, nausea, thirst, and increase of urine; and these complaints did not materially subside for six days.[2] The depressed action of the heart may be the occasion of death in particular circumstances. Mr. Brande mentions from the experience of Dr. Pemberton the case of an elderly woman, who, while under the full influence of foxglove, fell in a fainting fit on walking across the floor; after which, although she at first got better, there were frequent attacks of fainting and vomiting till she died.[3] In other instances convulsions also occur; and it appears from a case mentioned by Dr. Blackall, that the disorder thus induced may prove fatal. One of his patients, while taking two drachms of the infusion of the leaves daily, was attacked with pain over the eyes and confusion, followed in twenty-four hours by profuse watery diarrhœa, delirium, general convulsions, insensibility, and an almost complete stoppage of the pulse. Although some relief was derived from an opiate clyster, the convulsions continued to recur in frequent paroxyms for three weeks; in the intervals he was forgetful and delirious; and at length he died in one of the convulsive fits.[4]
A case which exemplifies the effects of a single large dose is related in the Edinburgh Journal. An old woman drank ten ounces of a decoction made from a handful of the leaves in a quart of water. She grew sick in the course of an hour, and for two days
