2. C. ECKHARD.-Essays on the Salivary Secretion. (Henle and Pfeuffer's Zeitschrift,' Bd. xxix, Heft i, p. 74. 1867.) 1. SZABADFÖLDY's observations on the histology of the mucous membrane of the tongue were made on dogs and rabbits, which are well adapted for the purpose, and on man, in whom there is more difficulty. He removed the epithelial layers of cells by maceration of the organ in dilute soda solution, and examined the sections in a fluid composed of equal parts of glycerin, water, and alcohol, with a little admixture of oxalic acid. He admits the three well-known forms of lingual papillæ, viz., the filiform, the fungiform, and the circumvallate, and he estimates the number of the fungiform papilla in man at from 160 to 290, whereof the third part at least occupy the tip of the tongue. The number of the circumvallate he reckons at from eighteen to twenty. The epithelial layers are thickest on the dorsum of the tongue, thinnest at the lip, and in the parts adjoining the circumvallate papillæ. He describes the muscular fibres (as Hyde Salter did long ago) as dividing dichotomously near the surface, and capable of being followed into the papillæ themselves, the sarcolemma splitting into fine bundles of connective tissue which, mingled with elastic fibres, constitute the chief part of the substance of the papillæ. The matrix of the filiform papillæ and of the secondary papillæ which form on them contains in general only vessels, but one of the secondary papillæ in each system always contains a nerve or more rarely a nerve and vessels; the latter running nearer to the surface than the former. The secondary papillæ of the fungiform papillæ are to be regarded as almost the exclusive seat of the termination of nerves distributed to these papillæ, and in the circumvallate papillæ every secondary papillæ contain not only vessels but a number of terminal branches of nerves. 2. M. Eckhard remarks that Bernard's statement is well known to the effect that the lingual ganglion possesses the important function of transferring in a reflex manner upon the fibres of the chorda tympani, excitations affecting the peripheric expansion of the lingual nerve, and thus inducing the secretion of saliva. This statement M. Eckhard believes to be erroneous, and he has performed certain experiments which lead him to the conclusion that the parotid glands of the sheep secrete fluid uninterruptedly as he has observed the process for hours continuously. In general, he collected from 3 to 5 centimètres every five minutes from each gland amounting to the considerable quantity of from 1728 to 2880 cubic centimètres in twenty-four hours. But in the case of the submaxillary gland the secretion is poured forth intermittingly, as occurs also in the dog. It is interesting, he observes, to inquire what cerebral nerve or nerves govern the secretory activity of the parotid glands in sheep, showing, as they obviously do, no sign of exhaustion. His observations tend to prove that the persistent activity of this gland is not under the influence of any cerebral nerve nor even of the sympathetic, since in one instance he carefully exposed and successively stimulated by means of an electrical current, 1. The branches of the fifth; 2. The branches of the portio dura of the seventh; and 3, The sympathetic trunk in the highest part of the neck; and in every instance without producing any change in the secretion, nor did section of the sympathetic, nor extirpation of the superior cervical ganglion appear in any way to influence it. He then endeavoured to ascertain whether the excitation of the mucous membrane of the mouth in a healthy sheep exerted any influence, but found none. Thus, the quantity discharged being ascertained from previous experiments to be about 63 c. centimètres per five minutes, on brushing the animal's mouth over with vinegar, it not only did not increase the amount of saliva discharged, but actually diminished it to 5 c. centimètres in the same space of time. The cause of increase at different times he believes may, nevertheless, be the result of three factors, namely, 1. The direct reflectorial transference of the stimulus, whatever it may be, upon the secretory nerves. 2. The co-excitation which affects the secretory nerves and those distributed to the muscles affecting the movements of the jaw; and 3. The mechanical pressure to which the glands are subjected by the contraction of the platysma on the outer side and of the masseter on the inner side. The parotid, however, seems not to be acted on by the first of these factors, that is, reflectorially. He states that these experiments differ considerably in their results from the analogous ones that he himself made upon the horse in the following respects: first, that the secretion of the parotids in the sheep is not under the influence of any cerebral nerve, as can be clearly proved in the horse; and, secondly, because it cannot be shown that the secretory process in the sheep is commanded by the sympathetic. A secretion of a different quality is, no doubt, obtained when the sympathetic is stimulated from that poured forth on excitation of the trigeminus, which only shows satisfactorily that the secretion corresponds in its characters with the nerve stimulated. But he found that if the sympathetic were stimulated for a considerable period, there was a continuous flow of troubled saliva. HALF-YEARLY REPORT ON TOXICOLOGY, FORENSIC By BENJAMIN W. RICHARDSON, M.D., F.R.S., I. TOXICOLOGY. Poisoning by Fluid Extract of Gelseminum.-Dr. R. P. Davis reports two instances of acute poisoning by the fluid extract of gelseminum. The symptoms unfortunately are to some extent obscured by others due to alcohol; but, notwithstanding this, the account is of great interest in toxicological science. The facts are as follow: On the evening of October the 6th, 1866, Dr. Davis was called to see a young lawyer of Parkersburg, W. Va., who was reported as extremely ill. He was found lying upon his left side, with his face congested, and his pupils dilated but responding to the different degrees of light; his eyelids were half-closed, with apparent inability to move them; his lower jaw was drooping, and his tongue, to use his own expression, "was so thick he could hardly speak;" his skin was warm and moist; his pulse was small and feeble, and his respirations were somewhat diminished in number. He had neither purging nor vomiting. Upon being questioned, he said that he and a friend had been enjoying themselves in a social way for three days, and that nothing was the matter with him now "but extreme nervous prostration.' He also said he had not taken medicine of any kind. Thinking, as he did himself, that he was merely suffering from the prostration of dissipation, Dr. Davis ordered him "a brandy punch," and went to the drug store for some medicine. Whilst the prescription was being made up, the friend of the patient entered the store staggering and saying, "I am blind, I cannot see; what in the world is this I have taken ?" (at the same time showing a bottle); "my friend is down town in the same fix." On examining the bottle, it was found to be labelled "Fluid extract of Gelseminum; and on inquiry it turned out that both the men had taken a dose of one tablespoonful. Thereupon Dr. Davis sent his assistant (Mr. White) immediately to the young lawyer to give him an emetic, he himself staying with the second patient, and administering to him, first, an emetic, which acted freely, and afterwards a dose of quinine. A few minutes later Mr. White returned to report that the lawyer was dying, that it was with much difficulty he had got him to take the emetic, and that it had not acted. In company with Dr. Clark Dr. Davis returned to this patient, and found him really in the dying state; the pupils were widely dilated, the breathing was spasmodic, the surface of the body was cold and congested, the pulse was almost imperceptible, and there was total unconsciousness. Mustard was applied, the body was sponged with brandy, and artificial respiration was set up, but all to no effect. He died at 8.30 p.m., about two hours and a half after taking the poison. On returning to his second patient, Dr. Davis found him inclined to sleep, with deep inspirations, and a numbness of the whole body. The quina was repeated, with some brandy, and he was kept walking about with the aid of two friends. At ten o'clock he could take food, and soon afterwards he was sent to bed, and slept soundly. In the morning he expressed himself as "quite well, but weak and dizzy." He recovered without any further difficulty.-American Journal of the Medical Sciences for April, 1867. [The fluid extract of Gelseminum taken by these gentlemen was prepared by Tilden and Company of New Lebanon, N.Y. No facts are given as to the medicinal action of this extract, but we believe that in America it is used as a sedative.] Its action is considered to be uncertain. Poisoning from Croton Oil.-Dr. Charles Shoyer relates a case of poisoning by croton oil. He had ordered as an embrocation three drachms of croton oil with an ounce of olive oil. By an accident the mixture was spilt over some pigeons and chickens which had been dressed for cooking, and were ready to be put to the fire. The birds, having been thoroughly washed in several waters, were thought fit to eat, and were prepared accordingly. Five persons in all partook of the meal, viz., the mother of the family, aged 54, and feeble; a young lady, 15; a girl aged 9; and two young sons of 17 and 19. Dr. Shoyer was sent for about an hour after the meal, and found them suffering from great anxiety, and with burning in the mouth and throat. He prescribed an opiate, milk diet, and quietude. The symptom manifested by all was purging, and in every case except one this symptom had passed off by the following day. In the case of the mother, after an interval of eighteen hours from the accident, she was again attacked with purging, and while at her work felt a burning in the throat and mouth; there were also some pustules to be seen in the mouth; she became faint, and commenced to vomit; there were muscular tremours, and great general prostration. The pulse was very feeble, there was slight tenderness of the abdomen, but none of the epigastrium; the tongue was white, and showed the impress of the teeth, the feet were cold, the skin was moist, the mind was clear. The vomiting continued an hour; the ejected matter was light and glairy, was not tinged with bile, and contained no food. During vomiting and for two hours after there was a constant tendency to faint, and a deathly indescribable feeling of prostration. The treatment consisted of application of flannels wrung out of hot water to the abdomen, a large sinapism to the epigastrium, and warmth to the feet. Ten drops of tincture of opium were given every half-hour in whiskey and water, and the fan was freely used. In four hours the patient was well, but very weak. Fifty-five hours after the accident she was up and about.-Ibid. [The symptoms in this case closely resemble those of a case recorded by Christison, except that in the latter death was the result. The mistake of Dr. Shoyer's patients in considering that frequent washing would remove the poison was natural enough, although so serious. When animal substance, acted upon by croton oil, is well washed, all trace of the oil seems to disappear; but the volatile acid substance on which the action of the poison depends readily passes into the animal tissue and impregnates it.] On Sublimation of the Alkaloids.-Dr. Guy publishes a very interesting and valuable paper on the sublimation of the alkaloïds, a branch of toxicological research, which dates only from the year 1864, and which still admits of considerable advancement. To render the subject most intelligible, we will relate it in nearly the words of Dr. Guy. He commences by stating that Dr. A. Helwig, of Mayence, first proposed the sublimation of the alkaloïds as a test and diagnostic,1 and more recently (in 18652) he published a work, 1 Fresenius's Vierteljahrschrift für analytische Chemie,' 1864, i. 2. Das Mikroskop in der Toxikologie. Beiträge zur mikroskopischen und in large 8vo, of which the greater part is devoted to the tests for the poisonous alkaloids-morphia, strychnia, brucia, veratria, atropia, aconitine, solanine, digitaline, conia, and nicotia. In the case of the fixed alkaloids, the results of sublimation and the reactions of the sublimates are minutely described. The work contains carefully prepared tables of the reactions, and is enriched by no less than sixty-four micro-photographs, of which thirty-eight represent the crystalline forms of the alkaloids and their salts with various reagents, and fourteen are devoted to sublimates and their reactions. Dr. Helwig states that the idea of submitting the alkaloids to sublimation first suggested itself to him as a natural extension of a method so successful in detecting and identifying minute quantities of arsenious acid and corrosive sublimate; and he lays claim to originality, inasmuch as he does not find the sublimation of the alkaloids described in any handbook of chemistry or forensic medicine, even the most recent. This claim of originality is fully justified, though probably every manufacturing chemist must have recognised the fact that some at least of the alkaloids are sublimed by heat, and experimenters on a small scale must have observed that the alkaloids, as a class, after melting, and before depositing carbon, give out a more or less dense vapour or smoke, which, if allowed to settle on a cool surface, might possibly present, under the microscope, characteristic appearances. This new application of the test of sublimation suggested itself to Dr. Helwig after becoming acquainted with the simple methods of obtaining sublimates of arsenic and mercury on flat surfaces, with a view to microscopic and chemical examination, which I proposed in the year 1858.1 His own method of procedure with the alkaloids is as follows:-In a piece of platinum-foil of moderate thickness, a small cup-like hollow is formed; in this a minute quantity of the alkaloid is placed, and over it a microscopic slide (Objectträger). This simple apparatus being placed on a suitable support, the flame of a spirit-lamp is cautiously applied until the alkaloid melts, from which point of time the sublimate begins to form on the glass slide. This mode of procedure is obviously open to objection. The successive changes that take place in the alkaloïd-the discoloration, the liquefaction, the deposit of carbon, either on the spot (as happens with some alkaloïds) or over a wide surface traversed by the liquid (as is the case with others)-cannot be distinctly seen, and some diagnostic marks of the alkaloids as a class, and among themselves, are thus lost. Nor, again, can the formation of the sublimate mikrochemischen Diagnostik der wichtigsten Metall- und Pflanzengifte, für Gerichtsärzte, gerichthche Chemiker und Pharmaceuten, mit einem Atlas photographirter mikroskopischer Präparate. Von Dr. A. Helwig, pract. Arzte und Grossherzoglich-Hessischem Kreiswundarzte in Mainz. 1865. 1 "On the Production and Identification of Crystals of Arsenious Acid and Crusts of Metallic Arsenic" (Beale's Archives of Medicine,' No. iii, 1858); also "On the Miscroscopic Characters of the Crystals of Arsenious Acid" (Journal of the Microscopic Society,' 1861, and 'Principles of Forensic Medicine,' 2nd edit., 1861, p. 372). 79-XL. 17 |