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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    12 M. DeWecker reports that the abrus inflammation is peculiar, in that it does not tend to spread to the cornea or other tissues, but is confined to the conjunctival sac to which it has been alone applied (1). And this is instanced by M. Cornil as being due to a want of absorption of the main agent in the causation of the inflammation, viz., bacilli. But numerous cases are reported where the inflammation spread to the face, neck, and upper part of the chest (2), and Dr. Moura, Brazil, found that the repeated application of an infusion (strength 1 in 20) produced in rabbits such intense inflammation as to result in suppuration of the eyeball and gangrene of the lids, and also inflammation of the submaxillary glands (3). As the infusion used by Sattler was unsterilised, the presence of bacteria at the site of the inflammation is not remarkable, for the albuminous constitution of the infusion renders it an exceed- ingly favourable medium for the growth of micro-organisms. CHAPTER III. The Toxic Action of unsterilised abrus-seed infusion is not necessarily associated with a generalised bacillar formation. Difficulty of effectually sterilising abrus-seeds or their infusion. Fowls and cats were chiefly used in these experiments, their advantages over the rabbits and guinea-pigs employed by M. Cornil. With large doses death occurs too rapidly to be accounted for by bacterial invasion. Two experiments on fowls with filtered infusion; and two with solid residue, well-washed.—Rapid death.—No bacteria in blood. Eight experiments with powdered seeds to show effects of varying doses. Three experiments on cats with details of symptoms of abrus-poisoning and characteristic post-mortem appearances. The numbers and extent of distribution of any bacteria found are pro- portionate to the time which the animal survives, being least when the animal dies rapidly. The Essential Lesions of abrus-poisoning contrasted with the alleged bacterial lesions described by M. Cornil. With the view of ascertaining whether or not a generalised bacterial condition was necessarily associated with the toxic action of the abrus-seeds, we proceeded to make hypodermic injections of an infusion of the seeds. (1) Comptes Rend. XCV, 299. (2) New Remedies, June 1883, quoted in Pharm. Jour., p. 687, 1883.