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Toxicological Cases
The · V eterinary Journal
52
angles of the mouth , erection a nd retraction of th e ears or stiffening or extension of the limbs. In fact, there is mostly no characteristic external appearances to suggest tha t an animal had died of strychnine poisoning. R etraction of th e angles of mouth and· other external signs usually attributed to be characteristic of death from strychnin e are found in death from the epileptiform convulsions of di stemper, true epilepsy, or from rabies. In anoth er case, in which a dog di ed in convulsions within thirty minutes of being let out into a back yard , Dr. Clough recovered from the stomach contents -}w grain of strychnine alkaloid. There are no lesions characteristi c of strychnine poisoning, but the serous covering of th e vi scera frequently shows marked vascularity. One-quarter of grain of. the alcoholic ex tract of nux vomica is toxic to an Aberdeen t errier. Wh at is the toxic dose per pound of the body weight ? Strychnine salts are absorbed more rapidly than the pure alkaloid. A chemist's assistant prescribed Easton's Syrup in m. v. capsules for a small Pomera nian. Twenty minutes after the administration of the first and only dose the an im al was dead . This counter prescribing cost a well-known firm of chemists £25 in pre-war days ; the claim was paid up without much pressure. Mortal doses of strychnine are not absorbed from the mucous membrane of the norm al urinary bladder, and under such circumstances they produce no efiect ; they may, however, be absorbed from the inflamed mucous membrane coupled with retention. Strychnine is the common est agent with which cat and dogs are maliciously destroyed, usually within thirty minutes of its administration. It should be p roscribed for the destruction of animals hum anely (?), especially when there are so many painless means available. It ought to be m ade a penal offence to use strychnine for the purpose of destroying ca"ts and dogs .
Bv
TOXICOLOGI CAL CASES. J. F. D . T UTT, M.R.C.V.S., F.L.S., F.Z.S., Winch ester.
I NORGANIC POISON S. PHOSPHORUS.-Th e cases chiefly encountered have been m pigs, that have become poisoned through ra t poison being put down, the r ats dying in the vicinity of the sty. The symptom in the acute state being uneasiness, nausea, vomition of food and mucus, with characteristic phosphorou s odour ; tenesmus and fcetid diarrh cea. In one case post-mortemed some years ago a portion of a dead poisoned rat was found in the stomach.
Totcicological Cases
53
In one chronic case, the subj ect of a n action a t law about two to three years bac k, th e pig was poisoned by a pi ece of meat impregnated with th e common rat poison paste. Great emaciation , t hi rst, cough, diarrhcea intermittently were obser ved, toget her with slight paralysis of the hind qua rters. Th e pig was ill for six wee ks. It was not seen by me until day of death . In a dog poisoned through eatin g p ortions of a poi soned rat , vom ition a nd diarrhcea (both bloodstai ned) with great th irst was obse rved . Treat ment with sul phate of copper proved un availing, t he dog dy ing within fort y-eight hours of th e onset of symptoms. Su LPH UR. - E ight h orses undergoing t reatment for mange during th e la te war were poisoned through a n N.C.O. giving th em an excessive dose on a Sat urd ay night without authority. Three were dead the following mornmg. The other five recovered. Th e symptoms noticed were colic, flatulence, a nd dia rrh cea, smelling of sulphuretted hydrogen. Treatment.- Frequently repeated doses of chlorodyne in starch gru eL Soo ru M NJTRATE. - Three cases observed during the past eighteen months. The first was found dead a nd an thrax was suspected. P ost- mortem revealed lumps of the substa nce in the rum en. The other two cases occurred within forty- eight hours of each other in one dairy. On e cow was found dead. The second cow when brought into th e cowshed to be milked, suddenly appeared to go " mad " (to use the observer 's own expression), broke the neck chain, rushed into th e adjoin ing root sh ed, bit a few pieces out of thr-ee or four mangolds, then collapsed and died, th e who le occurrence only taking a few minutes. In each case nitrate of soda was found on post-mortem. In all three cases the pastures h ad been recently dressed with it as a manure. CoMM ON SALT.- T en pigs were poisoned through salt being added (ma li ciously ?) to the buttermilk sent down with the swilL In th e cases observed there were symptoms of abdominal pain , diarrhcea, convulsive movements, and death occurred at varying intervals (forty-eight hours in one case) . P ost- mortem revealed very acute infla mm ation of t he stomach a nd intes tines. Three recovered. ARSE:-.~ rc. - A Gordon se tter aged fi ve rece ived th e minimum dose of Donovan's solution. The sympto ms shown within a few h ours of one dose only were vomition, abdomin al pain , and slight diarrhcea. Th e owner fortu nately kn ew what th e dog had been given and admin istered a n emetic . Recovery ensued , but weakness of the hind quarters was perceptible until th e dog di ed a few years later. Whe ther or not this was due to th e a rsenic it is doubtful to say. The owner naturally affirm s to this day that it was. T he case is
54
The Vete·rinary J owrnal
interesting in view of the smallness of the dose a nd the fact that only one dose, fortunately, was given. In another case, a cat was given a measured dose of 1 dram of Arsenic Alba in milk. Beyond violent vomition within a few minutes, no other symptoms were observed , a nd th e cat appeared none th e worse for it. STRYCHNINE.- Cases have been encou ntered in a horse, foxes, dogs, and cats. In the case of the horse great excitement and tetanic spasms and symptoms of a bdominal pain . Pos t-mortem revealed a cute infla mmation of th e stomach. In fox es the poiso n was pu t down in some cases maliciously, and in other instances for rats. In dogs, the cause has been the same as in the fox. Vomition, tetanic spasms and death. In one case of a Labrador retriever portions of a dead rat were found in the stomach on post-mortem) and over a grain of strychnine extract ed on a nalysis. ACORN PoiSONING.- Contrary to the opinion expressed by La nder (p. 270, V eterinary Toxicology), I had, some years ago, a number of pigs poisoned through the ingestion of acorns. Four pigs, each eight months old, were affected and were dead when I reached the farm. Post-mortem revealed large quantities of the a corns, with gastroenteritis, the stomachs presenting a peculiar "ta nn ed" appearance. CREOSOTE.-A Labrad"Or retriever accidentally fell into a creosote hurdle-dipping tank, and although rescued immediat ely by the owner, swallowed sufficient to cause its death. The symptoms were vomition, abdominal pain, and violent diarrhcea and straining. Cold extremities. Death occurred about thirty-six hours from the onset of symptoms. LEAD PoiSONING.- A shorthorn bull showed acute symptoms after licking some red lead employed to make a joint in a water-trough in the fie ld. A large dose of Epsom-salt produced uneventful recovery, although the owner had previously administered linseed oil.
NOTICES All communication s shou ld be addressed to 8 H en ri ett a S treet, Cov ent Gard en, Londo n ~ W. C. 2 . T elephon e : Gerrard 4646 . Te legr ams : " Bailliere, Rand, L ondon." Letters for the Jo u RNAL, li tera r y contributio n s, r epor ts, n otices, b ook s for review, exchanges, new instruments or m at eria ls, a nd a ll m atter for publication (except a dvertisement>) should be addressed to the E d ito r. Manuscript-prefera bly t yp e written-should b e on on e side only of paper marked with full name o f a uthor. BINDING CASES fo r Volu me 79 a nd a n y other previous volumes ca n b e obtained fro m the publish er s. Price 2s. 9d. post free. Copy of a dvertisem ents sho uld be in t he h a nd s of the pu blishers-Bailiihe, T indall and Cox-not la t er tha n the 2 5th of t h e m ont h, o r If proo f is required, n ot later than 23rd. Annual Subscription, 2l s. ($ 5.00 U. S. A. cu rrency) p ost free.
52
angles of the mouth , erection a nd retraction of th e ears or stiffening or extension of the limbs. In fact, there is mostly no characteristic external appearances to suggest tha t an animal had died of strychnine poisoning. R etraction of th e angles of mouth and· other external signs usually attributed to be characteristic of death from strychnin e are found in death from the epileptiform convulsions of di stemper, true epilepsy, or from rabies. In anoth er case, in which a dog di ed in convulsions within thirty minutes of being let out into a back yard , Dr. Clough recovered from the stomach contents -}w grain of strychnine alkaloid. There are no lesions characteristi c of strychnine poisoning, but the serous covering of th e vi scera frequently shows marked vascularity. One-quarter of grain of. the alcoholic ex tract of nux vomica is toxic to an Aberdeen t errier. Wh at is the toxic dose per pound of the body weight ? Strychnine salts are absorbed more rapidly than the pure alkaloid. A chemist's assistant prescribed Easton's Syrup in m. v. capsules for a small Pomera nian. Twenty minutes after the administration of the first and only dose the an im al was dead . This counter prescribing cost a well-known firm of chemists £25 in pre-war days ; the claim was paid up without much pressure. Mortal doses of strychnine are not absorbed from the mucous membrane of the norm al urinary bladder, and under such circumstances they produce no efiect ; they may, however, be absorbed from the inflamed mucous membrane coupled with retention. Strychnine is the common est agent with which cat and dogs are maliciously destroyed, usually within thirty minutes of its administration. It should be p roscribed for the destruction of animals hum anely (?), especially when there are so many painless means available. It ought to be m ade a penal offence to use strychnine for the purpose of destroying ca"ts and dogs .
Bv
TOXICOLOGI CAL CASES. J. F. D . T UTT, M.R.C.V.S., F.L.S., F.Z.S., Winch ester.
I NORGANIC POISON S. PHOSPHORUS.-Th e cases chiefly encountered have been m pigs, that have become poisoned through ra t poison being put down, the r ats dying in the vicinity of the sty. The symptom in the acute state being uneasiness, nausea, vomition of food and mucus, with characteristic phosphorou s odour ; tenesmus and fcetid diarrh cea. In one case post-mortemed some years ago a portion of a dead poisoned rat was found in the stomach.
Totcicological Cases
53
In one chronic case, the subj ect of a n action a t law about two to three years bac k, th e pig was poisoned by a pi ece of meat impregnated with th e common rat poison paste. Great emaciation , t hi rst, cough, diarrhcea intermittently were obser ved, toget her with slight paralysis of the hind qua rters. Th e pig was ill for six wee ks. It was not seen by me until day of death . In a dog poisoned through eatin g p ortions of a poi soned rat , vom ition a nd diarrhcea (both bloodstai ned) with great th irst was obse rved . Treat ment with sul phate of copper proved un availing, t he dog dy ing within fort y-eight hours of th e onset of symptoms. Su LPH UR. - E ight h orses undergoing t reatment for mange during th e la te war were poisoned through a n N.C.O. giving th em an excessive dose on a Sat urd ay night without authority. Three were dead the following mornmg. The other five recovered. Th e symptoms noticed were colic, flatulence, a nd dia rrh cea, smelling of sulphuretted hydrogen. Treatment.- Frequently repeated doses of chlorodyne in starch gru eL Soo ru M NJTRATE. - Three cases observed during the past eighteen months. The first was found dead a nd an thrax was suspected. P ost- mortem revealed lumps of the substa nce in the rum en. The other two cases occurred within forty- eight hours of each other in one dairy. On e cow was found dead. The second cow when brought into th e cowshed to be milked, suddenly appeared to go " mad " (to use the observer 's own expression), broke the neck chain, rushed into th e adjoin ing root sh ed, bit a few pieces out of thr-ee or four mangolds, then collapsed and died, th e who le occurrence only taking a few minutes. In each case nitrate of soda was found on post-mortem. In all three cases the pastures h ad been recently dressed with it as a manure. CoMM ON SALT.- T en pigs were poisoned through salt being added (ma li ciously ?) to the buttermilk sent down with the swilL In th e cases observed there were symptoms of abdominal pain , diarrhcea, convulsive movements, and death occurred at varying intervals (forty-eight hours in one case) . P ost- mortem revealed very acute infla mm ation of t he stomach a nd intes tines. Three recovered. ARSE:-.~ rc. - A Gordon se tter aged fi ve rece ived th e minimum dose of Donovan's solution. The sympto ms shown within a few h ours of one dose only were vomition, abdomin al pain , and slight diarrhcea. Th e owner fortu nately kn ew what th e dog had been given and admin istered a n emetic . Recovery ensued , but weakness of the hind quarters was perceptible until th e dog di ed a few years later. Whe ther or not this was due to th e a rsenic it is doubtful to say. The owner naturally affirm s to this day that it was. T he case is
54
The Vete·rinary J owrnal
interesting in view of the smallness of the dose a nd the fact that only one dose, fortunately, was given. In another case, a cat was given a measured dose of 1 dram of Arsenic Alba in milk. Beyond violent vomition within a few minutes, no other symptoms were observed , a nd th e cat appeared none th e worse for it. STRYCHNINE.- Cases have been encou ntered in a horse, foxes, dogs, and cats. In the case of the horse great excitement and tetanic spasms and symptoms of a bdominal pain . Pos t-mortem revealed a cute infla mmation of th e stomach. In fox es the poiso n was pu t down in some cases maliciously, and in other instances for rats. In dogs, the cause has been the same as in the fox. Vomition, tetanic spasms and death. In one case of a Labrador retriever portions of a dead rat were found in the stomach on post-mortem) and over a grain of strychnine extract ed on a nalysis. ACORN PoiSONING.- Contrary to the opinion expressed by La nder (p. 270, V eterinary Toxicology), I had, some years ago, a number of pigs poisoned through the ingestion of acorns. Four pigs, each eight months old, were affected and were dead when I reached the farm. Post-mortem revealed large quantities of the a corns, with gastroenteritis, the stomachs presenting a peculiar "ta nn ed" appearance. CREOSOTE.-A Labrad"Or retriever accidentally fell into a creosote hurdle-dipping tank, and although rescued immediat ely by the owner, swallowed sufficient to cause its death. The symptoms were vomition, abdominal pain, and violent diarrhcea and straining. Cold extremities. Death occurred about thirty-six hours from the onset of symptoms. LEAD PoiSONING.- A shorthorn bull showed acute symptoms after licking some red lead employed to make a joint in a water-trough in the fie ld. A large dose of Epsom-salt produced uneventful recovery, although the owner had previously administered linseed oil.
NOTICES All communication s shou ld be addressed to 8 H en ri ett a S treet, Cov ent Gard en, Londo n ~ W. C. 2 . T elephon e : Gerrard 4646 . Te legr ams : " Bailliere, Rand, L ondon." Letters for the Jo u RNAL, li tera r y contributio n s, r epor ts, n otices, b ook s for review, exchanges, new instruments or m at eria ls, a nd a ll m atter for publication (except a dvertisement>) should be addressed to the E d ito r. Manuscript-prefera bly t yp e written-should b e on on e side only of paper marked with full name o f a uthor. BINDING CASES fo r Volu me 79 a nd a n y other previous volumes ca n b e obtained fro m the publish er s. Price 2s. 9d. post free. Copy of a dvertisem ents sho uld be in t he h a nd s of the pu blishers-Bailiihe, T indall and Cox-not la t er tha n the 2 5th of t h e m ont h, o r If proo f is required, n ot later than 23rd. Annual Subscription, 2l s. ($ 5.00 U. S. A. cu rrency) p ost free.