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THE CHINA REVIEW.
by degrees in a small porcelain basin, and the residue after the addition of a few drops of very dilute hydrochloric acid and water, and being cautiously neutralized with ammonia, may be used for hypodermic injection into small animals—mice or guinea-pigs. The second half should be carefully evaporated to dryness on the inverted covers of three or four porcelain crucible lids and tested, in the manner already described, with sulphuric acid and manganic oxide. In practice, it will be found that a small quantity of organic contamination does not interfere with the delicacy of the reaction. If the process has been conducted with that scrupulous care which should invariably accompany toxicological investigations, the life-test will most probably furnish confirmatory evidence, in support of that derived from the application of chemical reagents.
USES &c.—The author of the Pên ts'ao states1 that this drug is never used internally as a medicine, although preparations of the root are recommended to be applied in the treatment of boils and ulcers. According to the Rev. F. Faber, the root is sometimes secretly used internally in the Kwang-tung province in certain forms of disease. The evidence of Chinese doctors in Hong-kong corroborates this statement. By some, it is regarded as a specific in ring-worm and leprosy.
It is, however, to its use as an agent in criminal poisoning, that this plant owes its notoriety. It seems to have perplexed coroners in repeated cases that occurred in this Colony between 1867 and 1871.
In 1872, application was made to the Director of the Botanical Gardens, by Dr. Richard Young, the then Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, for the identification of a plant—said to have been used in a case of poisoning—which, on examination, turned out to be Gelsemium elegans.
We have details of four well-authenticated cases since that date; three of which
1 Pên ts'ao Kang mu, Chap. XVII,
occurred in Hongkong, the fourth in Canton. The three former are dealt with by Dr. Wharry in an appendix to this paper. The 1874 case is of special interest, from the fact, that, at the Coroner's inquest, evidence was given to the effect, that four mace (=half an ounce avoirdupois) of the root had been used in the preparation of the decoction, which caused the death of an adult male in two hours. The instance in 1884 possesses historical interest, from the fact, that the alkaloid to which the activity of the root is due, was first isolated in the Laboratory of the Government Civil Hospital, and found to possess characters, distinct enough, to allow of its detection, by chemical means, in toxicological investigations.
The following particulars of the Canton tragedy, and of the fate that met the female who was alleged to have poisoned four people, are taken from a translation of the Chinese narrative of the affair by the Rev. E. R. Eichler. The woman appears to have collected from the hills the root of the T'üa ch'ëung ts'ao (eat bowels grass) or Tai ta'a yip tang (great toa leaf creeper), and to have put it in a hamper in the kitchen, pending a favourable opportunity for boiling it with her husband's rice. While her back was turned, a relative seems to have taken the root, and boiled it together with some spinach, in the family congee. With the exception of the accused, all, (four in number) partook of the meal and died. The woman was tried by the authorities in Canton, found guilty, and condemned to death by the Ling ch'ih process, which, in this instance, consisted in cutting the body of the criminal into a number of pieces, four cuts being made—two on the forehead and two on the breasts—previous to piercing the heart.
PHYSIOLOGICAL NOTE.
At Mr. Crow's request, I have jotted down my experience of the T'ün ch'eung ts'ao.
When I arrived in Hongkong in February
1 China Mail, Sept. 9th, 1886; see also letter of Govt. Analyst in issue of 12th following.
NOTES ON CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA.
1873 to take charge of the Civil Hospital, I was called on to perform almost the whole of the medico-legal work of the Colony, and thus speedily became acquainted with one of the uses, or abuses, of this plant.
In 1873, I had to examine the bodies of several women who had committed suicide with it, and I learned that the plant was well known to the Chinese, especially to the women who eat grass on the hill sides.
Having no previous knowledge of the plant, and finding no mention of it or its properties in works on materia medica or toxicology, I procured specimens and administered a fresh extract of the leaves, stem, and root, to several dogs,
They all died: the poison rapidly taking effect, and producing giddiness, loss of power in the hind legs, convulsions and death.
Early in 1874, a Chinese soi-disant doctor was convicted of manslaughter, for having with fatal effect administered a decoction of T'ün ch'eung ts'ao to a Chinese shopman aged about 30 years.
It appeared from the evidence at the inquest that deceased ate a hearty breakfast at 10 a.m. and took a decoction of T'ün ch'eung ts'ao at about 3.30 p.m., became giddy, with dimness of sight, loss of power in limbs, irregular breathing, and died in about two hours.
The body was examined 18 hours after death. 'Face somewhat livid: expression disturbed: pupils of fair size, conjunctivæ injected: lips and gums purple: bloody froth running from nose: under surface of body livid. Heart, both sides nearly empty: containing a little dark fluid blood, no clots, healthy lungs, slightly congested, trachea and bronchi containing bloody froth. Kidneys much congested. Stomach and intestines congested. Brain-vessels full of dark fluid blood, otherwise normal. Spinal cord not examined.'
In January 1884, a Chinese, (Engineer of a launch) aged about 35 years, and his daughter aged about 6 years were poisoned, presumably by the wife. At the inquest, the
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wife stated that after partaking of tea &c., which she had prepared, her husband and daughter became giddy and fell down insensible.
About 5 hours after death, the man's pupils were dilated, and there was considerable congestion of the dependent side of the head and neck: the lower side of the trunk was less congested, and the legs not at all: the conjunctivæ were injected, the lower one most. I was not present at the P.M. dissection in this case, and no record of it was kept.
Mr. Crow obtained an alkaloidal extract from the tea prepared by the wife, and I tried this on two guinea-pigs, weighing 5 oz. and 5¾ oz. respectively, with the following results:—
12.35 p.m. About 8 drops injected under skin of abdomen: disinclination to move: loss of power in hind legs: inability to hold the head up: convulsions: laboured respiration: partial paralysis of all limbs, with occasional convulsions: convulsions and convulsive breathing.
1.40. Apparently not so feeble: for some time past has kept on his belly: always returning to that position when turned over: almost continuous tremors: (removed to a warmer position), tremors still the same.
1.50. Tremors violent.
1.55. Appears stronger: less tremulous: from this time he improved and recovered completely.
In the second case, at 3.9 p.m. About 12 drops injected under skin of abdomen.
3.20. Began to lose power in extremities.
3.21. Strong convulsions: turned over nearly on to his back: stiffened out: lies on side convulsed.
3.26. Strong convulsions, continuous: (tetanic spasms).
3.35. A few feeble expiring spasms.
From my experience of this plant so far, I judge, that in its physiological action it differs somewhat from Gelsemium sempervirens, and more nearly resembles Strychnos nux vomica. With further observation, the extent of these