The non-bacillar nature of abrus-poison : with observations on its chemical and physiological properties / by L.A. Waddell.

  • Waddell, L. A. (Laurence Austine), 1854-1938.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The non-bacillar nature of abrus-poison : with observations on its chemical and physiological properties / by L.A. Waddell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    into the subcutaneous tissues that fatal symptoms were found to develop, death occurring in cattle within 48 hours after the administration of one and a half to two grains of the seed. In view of the practical importance of the subject, Dr. Warden was led in 1880 to make a chemical analysis of these seeds, with the result of finding that they contained no alkaloidal principle or glucoside. A crystalline acid, which he called abric acid, represented by the formula C2i H24 N3 04l> was isolated, but this proved to be inert under all circumstances (1).. A small quantity of pungent volatile oil was extracted from the seeds, but this also was inactive. The results of this analysis, together with those of several experiments on cats, and historical notes on the seed, which were published in detail in tbe Indian Medical Gazette for 1882 (2), although clearing the way for future investigations, afforded no positive insight into the anomalous manner in which these seeds exercised their poisonous action. Quite recently M.M. Cornil and Berlioz, in a communication to the Academie des Sciences, have alleged that the poisonous symptoms produced by the abrus-seeds are due to a generalised bacterial condition (3). It had long ago been known that the topical application of an infusion of the seeds had the pro- perty of exciting an acute inflammation of the conjunctiva (4). And Sattler (5), after a series of observations, concluded that the artificial inflammation excited by this infusion was an infective disease caused by an innocuous bacillus which was always present in the air, but which took on pathogenic qualities when growing in an infusion of abrus-seeds (6). It was the idea thus suggested by M. Sattler regarding the local affection which led M.M. Cornil and Berlioz to undertake (1) Vide Appendix IV. (2) Page 287 et seq. (3) Le Progres Medical, 1883. No. 44. Their paper is abstracted at some length in the Lancet, Volume II, 1883, page 600. (4) In India it is sometimes used by malingerers in jails to produce conjunctivitis. (5) Wiener Mediz. Woclien, No. 18—21, 1883. (6) Dr. Center of Lahore several years ago remarked on the occurrence of swarms of bacteria in the wound in cases of abrus-poisoning—Indian Medical Gazette, pae'e 319 1882.