Conium Maculatum - General symptoms - T.F. Allen

GENERAL

General

(Morning), Until 10 or 11 o'clock, all symptoms.

fantasies. fretful, etc.

on rising from bed, vertigo.

on waking, headache.

after rising, headache.

pain through temples. mucus in eyes.

on rising, vertigo. eructations.

nausea. between 1 and 2 o'clock, cramp in stomach.

after rising and after stool, pain from pit of stomach to throat.

while lying and twisting about in bed, pain in pit of stomach.

while lying in bed, pain in hypochondrium.

after rising, colic in umbilical region.

tearing from hypogastric region into sides of abdomen.

after chilliness for two hours, cutting colic, etc., after eating, colic, etc.

while sitting, drawing lower abdomen.

immediately after urinating, burning in urethra.

on waking, everything seems as if too full in chest.

pain upon sternum, etc.

on rising, trembling of the foot.

while standing and sitting, tearings in great toe.

after waking, weakness.

in bed, weak, etc. effect greatest.

chilliness, etc. coldness, etc.

at 4 o'clock, coldness at 8 o'clock, shivering.

at 10 o'clock, chilliness in back, etc.

on waking, sensation of heat down back.

on and after waking, inclination to sweat.

on waking from sleep, sweat over body.

(Afternoon), From 5 to 6 o'clock, ill-humor.

towards evening, burning in eyes.

blindness. thirst. towards evening, eructations.

vomiting of mucus. distension, etc., of abdomen.

from noon till evening, worse while sitting and walking.

tearing in the ankle. heaviness, etc., of body.

from 3 to 5 o'clock, chilliness.

shivering, etc. flushes of warmth.

(Evening), From 4 to 9 o'clock, the symptoms.

in bed, pulsations in side of head.

in bed, on closing eyes to sleep, pressure in the eyes.

late, pain in bone above eye, etc.

double vision. pain in face.

sour eructations. heartburn.

nausea. distension of abdomen.

after eating, hardness, etc., of the abdomen.

before going to sleep, stiffness of penis.

on going to sleep, severe cough.

in bed, difficult inspiration.

on lying down, rattling in chest.

in bed, when lying upon side, drawing etc., through chest.

glands become painful.

drawings in lower leg.

in bed, drawing in toes.

in bed, tearing in limbs.

in bed, tearing through upper arm.

while walking, hip painful.

in bed, tearing on tibia.

tearing in back of foot.

weakness. while sitting, sweat.

(Night), From 11 to 12 o'clock, all symptoms.

in sleep, violent weeping.

after waking, fearful thoughts.

in bed, headache, etc.

on closing eyes, zigzags before sight.

nosebleed. pain in face.

scraping in throat. while lying, and especially on inspiration, sticking in hepatic region.

frequent micturition. in sleep, twitching in arms, etc.

jerking, etc., in lower legs.

the symptoms. about midnight, sweat.

sweat on limbs.

(Sitting), All symptoms.

tickling in throat. tearing in moons veneris.

pain in chest, etc. thrusts though chest.

sticking between nipple and sternum.

stitches in chest. pressure behind sternum, etc.

stitches beneath ribs.

stitches in lumbar muscles.

stitches in muscles of thigh.

tearings about patella.

numbness of heels, etc.

pain beneath toes. stitches in tip of great toe.

stitches on surface of thigh..

(While walking), Dizzy.

drawings in temporal muscle.

on every step, nipping in vertex.

tearings in occiput. pain in liver.

pains in abdomen.

sticking in groin. pressure in neck of bladder.

on every inspiration, stitches in right chest.

pains in small of back.

tearing in thighs. stitches in malleoli.

tearing in soles, sticking in heels..

Became much agitated, were attacked with hallucinations and delirium, and went out of the house.

the neighbors thought the whole family had gone mad, and were obliged to employ force to compel them to return home.

watched them and rallied them in their hallucinations, and more or less absurd proposals.

the patients had been mirthful all the while,.

Soon after half an hour, dimness of vision, with bright points scintillating, or rather quickly moving in the distance.

this caused me to turn from side to side to notice them, and from this cause, I suppose, I found myself reeling in my saddle.

there was no vertigo or unpleasant sensation about the head to produce this effect, save a slight feeling of lightness,.

After moderate doses, the interference of vision is only such as results in haziness, as if a thin film of transparent vapor were floating between the eye and the object, the effect being identical with that observed on looking through a medium of unequal density, such as the mixture of hot and cold air enveloping a highly heated stove.

it occurs independently of any dilatation of the pupil, and is compatible with good definition for fixed objects.

it is due to imperfect adjustment of the refracting media of the eye from partial paralysis of the ciliary branches of the third nerve.

it is through these minute branches that the individual first becomes conscious of the effect of hemlock, and if he should be reading at the time, he will suddenly find the occupation fatiguing, and very soon afterwards it may be impossible, and he will be glad to close the eyes to relieve himself of the symptom, and as the muscular lethargy begins to be felt, content to lie perfectly still as is asleep.

in full doses the depressing influence involves the other branches of the nerve, and the lazy movements of the eyeball, or dull fixed and occasionally divergent stare, indicate the partially paralyzed condition of the external muscles of the eyeball, while more or less drooping of the upper lids expresses a similar condition of the levator palpebrae,.

On raising my eyes from the object upon which they had been fixed to a more distant one the vision was confused and a feeling of giddiness suddenly came over me. That these symptoms were due to impairment of power in the muscular apparatus employed in the adaptation of the eye was obvious to me, for so long as my eyes were fixed on a given object the giddiness disappeared, and the definition and capacity of vision for the minutest objects were unimpaired, but the instant that I directed the eyes to another object all was haze and confusion, and I felt giddy, and in order to recover my vision, and dismiss the sense of giddiness, it was necessary to lay hold upon some object, as it were, with my eyes, and rest them securely upon it.

it was clear to me that the adjusting muscular apparatus of the eye was enfeebled, and its contractions so sluggishly performed that they could not longer keep pace with the more active movements of the external muscles of the eyeball.

within then minutes of the appearance of this disorder of vision a general muscular lethargy affected me, and the eyelids felt as heavy as if they were oppressed with the deepest drowsiness (three-quarters of an hour after 5 1/2 drachms),.

Raised my eyes quickly from the manuscript upon which they had been steadily fixed, towards the inkstand some little distance away, but in so doing I instantly experienced a slight difficulty in accurately sighting that object, the eyes did not strike exactly where they were aimed, and simultaneously a faint but distinct thrill of the peculiar swimming feeling that I know so well as the beginning of sea-sickness, swept through the brain.

plainly the subtle influence of the poison had been creeping over me while absorbed in writing, but could not declare itself by symptoms until a quick and decided movement of the already paretic ocular muscles was attempted, then, however, it was instantly made manifest by the trouble in promptly sighting a given object, and, what is the point, then at once, but not till then, was the least giddiness experienced.

as the palsy of the ocular muscles advanced, soon the slightest movement of the eyes produced a curious and very disagreeable apparent flickering of the field of view, and was always accompanied by a sudden rush of giddiness.

but so long as the eyes were kept motionless, ten, as long ago pointed out by Harley, there was no giddiness.

for experiment, however, I did try the eyes in various ways, seeking to find, among other things, how the focalizing power on near objects was affected, and the consequence was that I quickly became not only very giddy but also decidedly nauseated, in fact veritably sea-sick, the sensations being the same as those felt at sea.

fearing that I should vomit, I got up to cross the room to the washstand, but at once the floor seemed to rock and waver, I staggered against a table.

not being conscious, however, of any real weakness of the legs, it immediately struck me that the uncertainty of step was purely because the eyes were playing false as guides for the feet.

if so, I argued, walking ought to be steadier with the eyes shut than open. Accordingly, after getting the proper bearings, I shut the eyes, and sure enough found at once that I could now walk straight and steady, and, what was more, without any feeling of giddiness.

securing a basin I repeated the little experiment on the return trip to the desk, and with precisely the same result,-giddiness, transient nausea, and staggering gait on trying to walk with eyes open;-freedom from all trouble with them shut,.

Double vision, from inability to maintain the convergence of the optic axes, excepting as a very evanescent effect, is a comparatively rare result of the action of hemlock. I have only observed it in a few persons. In one of these, a delicate invalid, confined by weakness and ovarian disease chiefly to the recumbent position, fl. 3ij of the succus Conii produced full effects accompanied by double vision.

this was a constant symptom.

it came on half an hour after taking the medicine, and lasted twenty minutes. After having taken the hemlock for six months, she told me, as often as I happened to see her during the operation of the medicine, that she saw each object in the room double, that my eyes were also doubled, and that she felt as if she were squinting,.

Vision was for the first time double. Directing the eye to an object at the distance of fifteen feet, that object for a moment would appear single.

immediately, however, two images became visible, and slowly receded from each other to the apparent distance of six inches.

here they generally became stationary, but at times would continue alternately to approach and recede from each other (nineteenth day).

slight degree of double vision (twentieth day),.

Itching on the right lower leg, followed by burning sore pain, lasting some time.

the spot remained slightly red.

on the next day this burning had extended, and was much increased by touch of the hand, but there was nothing visible externally.

during the next day a small bright-red spot appeared, which did not disappear on pressure, and in which the burning was most severe.

the spot, as also the skin about it, was very sensitive to the slightest touch,.

The pulse, during the period of greatest influence, and while I was sitting, beat with undeviating precision 60 strokes in a minute.

this is, perhaps, two or three beats below its natural velocity when the body is at rest. It was also fuller and stronger than usual. It might have been modified by the general condition of the system on that day, but this influence would probably have increased its rapidly (nineteenth day),.

Constant urging to urinate.

during the first four hours she was obliged to urinate as many as thirty times, the amount of urine varying from a few drops to a teaspoonful at a time.

with this urging there was a most violent burning pain at the neck of the bladder and along the urethra.

the urging was so violent that is seemed like labor-pains,.

In fifteen minutes slight weakness of the legs.

in twenty-five minutes the weakness of the legs and knees was more marked, and there was a certain amount of unsteadiness in my gait as I walked around the table.

in thirty-five minutes, the numbness and weakness of both legs and arms were well marked, and I felt that I handled the cue awkwardly, and that, when standing still, there was an inclination to sway backwards and forwards, while the knees began to give way under me.

in forty-five minutes the weakness of both arms and legs was intensified.

I could not now walk without swerving to one side or staggering.

in one hour and ten minutes my legs were very stiff, and awkward in motion, and it was just as much as I could do to get along. I had to progress slowly. I felt, with regard to my limbs, as if I was getting up to walk after a short rest at the end of a day's good pedestrianism, or as if I had just landed after a long swim, and altogether, a quiet rest on the sofa would have been most acceptable to me. It was now only possible to get upstairs with the greatest effort, and I did so in a very awkward manner.

and often knocked my toes against the steps, but, strange to say, I felt it more difficult to go down than up stairs. When I sat down I had to let myself drop suddenly when within a few inches of the seat. In two hours and ten minutes, my limbs were rapidly regaining their strength. In two hours and twenty minutes, the legs were nearly all right again, but the arms still weak. Three hours after the injection I felt quite well again, and could move about with ease as before the injection,.

A numb feeling in the lower extremities, with utter want of power to move them.

this was followed by a similar state of the upper extremities. Along with the numb feeling there was a sensation of stiffness in the limbs different from the feeling of powerlessness of motion. The numb powerless sensation then extended over the whole body, but was not accompanied with coldness of the surface. The sensibility of the skin was normal. On the next day such a feeling of weakness in the limbs that they shook under her, as if she "had been recovering from a fever,".

No means were at hand for testing the exact loss of power in the legs.

but, by the use of "Salter's improved dynamometer," I was enabled to measure, pretty accurately, the loss of power in the arms and muscles of the back. On two occasions I took seven healthy adults, and previous to injection, made them exert their utmost strength in pulling the handle of the dynamometer. I then injected each mx of a solution, according to my formula, mij of Conia, and made them pull at the dynamometer every quarter of an hour for two hours and a quarter afterwards. The following plate exhibits charts (obtained from three different persons) typical of the results I got. The rapid loss of power after injection, and the gradual return to the status quo, as the effects of the drug pass off, are alike well shown. The amount pulled is given in stones and halves of stones, See Plate III.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

All movements were slow and labored (after one hour and ten minutes),

Remarkable weakness and prostration, so that it was difficult to keep the head erect,

Faintness and nausea,

Touch indistinct; a sensation as though the skin were covered with a furze, with formication,

Great disturbance of the general condition; feeling as after a debauch,

Felt as if he "had been working hard all day,"

"Felt as if he had been fashed (sic) a bit night before, and tired-like,"

One felt as if he had been "up all night on special extra night duty, and should like to go to bed,"

Considerable local smarting for a few seconds after the injection,

Staggering while walking,

Staggering gait,

Gait faltering, vacillating; he staggers as if drunk, dragging his legs after him,

Loss of power and heaviness of the legs, especially of the knees, as if they would knock together; they trembled,

Painless loss of power in the inferior extremities,

After twenty minutes he got up and walked a mike; but the legs were so weak that they could hardly support him; the knees tended to fall forwards, and his gait was tottering,

In dismounting about an hour from the commencement of the symptoms (about an hour and a half after taking the dose), I found so much difficulty in walking as to require assistance to reach the house, the inferior extremities appearing nearly paralyzed. So little pain or distress was felt, however, that I laughed heartily at the predicament I had so unwittingly placed myself in. Feeling anxious to get rid of this annoyance, as well as from the solicitude of those around me, I tried what effects smoking tobacco would produce. I had been in the habit of using this luxury occasionally, and at this time had a strong desire for it. Whether from this cause or from rest and composure I soon felt very much relieved. Vision became clearer, the limbs less troublesome, and whilst sitting, little or no apparent effects of the poison remained. On rising, however, the inferior extremities persisted in their unwillingness to move, but much less than before. The whole day passed without being entirely rid of these feelings,

Complete paralysis of inferior extremities, afterwards of the upper, or the reverse,

Intoxicated sensation while walking, as if his steps were somewhat impeded; he, however, walked very rapidly,

Sensation of heaviness in the lower extremities, and feeling as though she was unable to move them; the same sensation in the arms, with a general feeling of weakness in the limbs distinct from the sensation of paralysis; this latter sensation affected the whole body,

Hip.

Hip-joints almost immovable,

The right hip is painful, and feels as if sprained, in the evening while walking,

Thigh.

Numbness in the thighs,

Sensation of weakness, even to trembling, in the right thigh, while walking,

Cramplike pain in the anterior muscles of the right thigh, while walking in the open air (after thirteen hours),

Dull drawing in the right thigh during rest, relieved by motion (after one hour and a half),

Stitches in the hamstring while walking in the open air,

Stitches as from needles in the muscles of the left thigh while sitting,

Long-continued deep stitch at the superior attachment of the gluteus maximus muscle (after three hours and a half),

Dull stitches in the thigh, near the trochanter, not preventing walking (after a quarter of an hour),

Dull tearing in the forepart of both thighs while walking,

Fine crawling in the posterior surface of the thigh,

Knee.

Crackling of the knee (in the patella?) on becoming erect,

Mingled weariness and weakness in the knees, and the gait was not so firm as usual (seventeenth and subsequent days),

For one hour and a half the muscular weakness continued to such a degree that, after walking upstairs, the knees ached from sheer weariness, and I could hardly prevent myself from tottering, and was glad to come to a state of rest,

Upon going upstairs, the knees were so weak as to render the ascent very difficult without assistance by taking hold of the balustrade (nineteenth day),

Stiffness, with pain, in the tendons under the left knee, while beginning to walk,

Fatiguing pain about the knee, lasting half an hour,

Paralytic pain in the hollow of the knee, as in dropsy of the knee-joint,

Rheumatic pain in the knee the whole day (fifteenth day),

Dull pain in the knee, on stepping,

Dull pain in the left knee on stepping,

Drawing beneath the right patella,

Pain as if sprained in the right knee,

Frequent stitches in the knees,

Tearings about the patella while sitting,

Tearing pain about the knee-joint,

Bruised pain, or feeling as if the patella were broken in the whole left knee, causing loud cries, while walking and standing in the open air, with anxious heat all over, on exhausting one's self in walking,

Leg.

A place on the leg that had been bruised twelve days previously, and had remained painful to this time, became blue and mottled, and pained on the slightest motion like the cutting of a knife, with a feeling as if bruised, on walking or on touch,

Slight occasional movements of left leg,

Jerking and uneasiness in the legs, at times followed by shivering, at night,

The legs go to sleep while sitting,

Drawing on the outer side of the right leg,

Drawings in the muscles of the right leg, as far as the foot and toes,

Drawing and tearing in the left leg, with great uneasiness, so that she could not keep still a moment,

Severe oppressive sensation and weakness in the anterior surface of the right leg, extending down to the foot, in bed; afterwards the same sensation in the left lower leg, obliging him to rise and walk about, whereby it was relieved for the moment,

Tearing in the leg, extending upward from the inner side of the foot, in the open air,

Dull tearing along the leg, extending upward from the external malleolus, in the open air,

Tingling pressure on the tibiae, on stretching out the limbs while sitting,

Tearing on the tibia, in the evening, in bed (first day),

Cramp like tearing in the tibia, while walking in the open air,

Bruised pain in the tibiae,

Tensive stiff pain in the calves,

Drawing in the right calf,

Drawings in the left calf and back of the foot,

Drawings in the lower portion of the left calf and sole of the foot,

Drawings on the inner side of the left calf, and on the back of the right foot,

Pressure in the right calf,

Ankle.

Dull pain in the ankle,

Stitches in both right malleoli, at first fine, then sharp, for two days and nights, waking him from sleep, at last extending into the calves, slower while sitting, but more frequent and severe while walking,

Tearings in the ankle from noon till evening, worse while sitting and walking,

Bruised pain in the left ankle, with tension and feeling of stiffness on moving it,

Foot.

Swelling of the feet, painful, and not disappearing during sleep,

Swelling of the whole foot, with burning pain,

Trembling of the feet, in the morning on rising,

Numbness and insensibility of the feet,

Burning and throbbing sticking in the bend of the foot,

Numb prickling sensation in the feet, creeping slowly upward until it reached the upper part of the thigh,

Tearings on the back of the foot, in the evening, in bed (first day),

Tearings in the soles, while walking,

Crawling pain in the soles of the feet, while stepping upon them, but stitches in them while walking,

Numbness of both heels, with prickling as from needles, while sitting,

Heavy clogging sensation the heels (after three-quarters of an hour),

Sensitive burning pain beneath the heel on stepping upon it, with redness and swelling of the place,

Sharp drawings beneath the heel,

Much sticking in the right heel, while walking and standing,

Toes.

Burning pain beneath the toes, while sitting,

Drawing in the toes,

Drawing in the left toes,

Drawings in the lower surface of the left great toe,

Pressure in the ball of the right great toe,

Cuttings at the tips of the left toes,

Stitches and burning in the tip of the left great toe,

Stitches in the tip of the left great toe, as if under the nail, while sitting,

Pulsating stitches in the little toe, which is also painful while walking,

Tearings in the ball of the great toe, in the morning, while standing and sitting,

Burning tearing in the metacarpal joint of the great toe, on waking from sleep while lying,

Prickling in the toes,

The tips of the toes pain as if suppurating,

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

Septic dissolution of the fluids,

In the bones, especially in the middle of the long bones, concealed caries, with burning-gnawing pain,

Consumption,

He walks about as if half asleep,

Throbbing motion and trembling of te whole body, especially severe in the arms (fifth day),

Trembling, etc.

Constant trembling,

He starts at every sound,

Jerklike startings up as in fright,

Subsultus tendinum,

The whole upper portion of the body was seized with violent spasms, while the lower extremities were paralyzed,

Convulsions, ,

Convulsions of affected parts, and of the whole body, with danger of stupefaction,

Most violent convulsions, with constant uneasiness and wild fancies,

Hysterical attack, with chilliness and a kind of spasmodic motions,

Relaxation of muscles and limbs, followed by difficulty of walking and want of power to control movements; forced to lie down (half an hour),

Very easily overstrained,

There was a distinct impairment of motor power. I felt, so to speak, that "the go" was taken out of me. It was not that I felt fatigued just then, but is seemed as if a drag was suddenly put upon me, and that it would be impossible to walk fast, if urged to do so (after three-quarters of an hour). After walking about a mile uphill, this sensation was very decided.

and on putting a foot on the scraper at the door of the hospital, the other leg was shaky, and felt almost too weak to support me. My movements appeared clumsy to myself, and it seemed necessary that I should make an effort to control them,.

If a strong, active individual take 5 or 6 drachms of the succus on getting up in the morning, and start off for a long walk, he will be overtaken in the course of half or three-quarters of an hour with a feeling of general tiredness, and a special weakness of the knees, as if he had been regularly tired out by walking all day to the full extent of his powers. If he be unusually active and strong, he will not, perhaps, yield to the inclination to rest, but will proceed slowly on his way, feeling a strange lightness, powerlessness of the legs, with a tendency to drop forward on his knees. This will be associated with some giddiness, and a feeling of heaviness over the eyes. At first the feeling of languor will be most oppressive, but it will soon become more tolerable.

and, if he should continue his journey for an hour, he will find that the feeling of fatigue has by this time nearly passed off. In the course of another hour he will be as active as ever,.

It sat down to nose these observations.

but, being afraid to maintain this posture lest the rapidly decreasing muscular energy should get the better of me, I rose up again and tried to shake it off. An hour and a quarter after taking the dose, I first felt decided weakness in my legs. The giddiness and diminution of motor power continued to increase for te next fifteen minutes. An hour and a half after taking the dose, these effects attained their maximum.

and at this time I was cold, pale, and tottering. The pulse which had been emotionally excited by the sudden accession of the foregoing symptoms, was now 68, quite regular and of undiminished force and volume. The legs felt as if they would soon be too weak to support me. There was a positive diminution of voluntary power in every part of the muscular system, and this nearly amounted to complete paralysis as far as the hamstring and levator palpebrae muscles were concerned. At one time, the greatest exertion was required to elevate the eyelids. The mind remained perfectly clear and calm, and the brain active throughout.

but the body seemed heavy, and well-nigh asleep. After continuing for about half an hour at their maximum, the symptoms began rapidly to decline and within three hours and a half after taking the dose they had totally disappeared,.