Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-25

Diospyros virginiana-Persinmo,

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Diospyros Virsiniana-P ersimmos
Although the Persimmon is general.
sidered innocent and even medicinal a.
late Professor Barton, of Philad.hL:.
his collections towards Matcria Me5;..
the United States, says the ripe fruit !.
full in the worm cases Of negro and -.
children, yet when eaten in large quon.,
and the seeds swallowed by thoughrlo>. -.
dren, the consequences are often dan.
and sometimes fatal A case anaI,,o,
CURED some years ago in the practice If i,
Elias Lacey, an old physician of emirar,,
Loudoun County, and in spite Of e,ery.
Of that consummate professional .kr ,
which he was so eminentlv dis,in.,r:l
the case resulted fatally. The prccodir,
marks have been occasioned BY mos.
tressing case which occurred recently =
neighborhood. Avery sprightly, inte,e,;,
little girl. about six years old, a c.,,r
daughter of Mr.. Vim. Gilmore. a ra,,a
bic old gentleman, from Hanover Cm,n,-
Virginia, but at present residing in tbi,r,,
ley, strolled off with some other lirl. son
to a Persimmon tree, and charged her IT,,
stomach with an immense quantity .f.t
fruit, swallowing seeds and all. THIS b..
pened seven or eight weeks agn
days only had elapsed, when train W.
alarming symptoms Occurred-sucb .. o.,
treme irritability of the stomach viii, -
most incessant efforts to yomit. and ,ba, -
gan frequently ejecting with vioIenrc -.
smallest and lightest article of alimept-. ,'
tended by gastrodynia or painful affection,
of the stomach--so that the little ,ptfs,~,
could rest neither day nor night.
This state Of things continuing for .rvar,i
weeks, and the functions of the stomach H.
coming every day more and more imrair.s
the child was reduced nearly 10 the last d.,
gree of debility and emacation.
When consulted about the case, | made,
examination over the region of the stoms,S
and ascertained clearly that there wa.
large tumour in the stomach. could gra,n
it and feel it distinctly through the pqri.iig,
of the abdomen, or Epigashium. The seed,
had collected In mass, imparting "a m.
hand the sensation Of hard ball. about Nh.
size of q mans fist. This | conceived. was
caused by the seed being entanged in tho
Dtncus thrown out, or secreted from the mu.
cOus coat Of the stomach resulting from the
irritation of that membrane by the hart
seeds of the Persimmons. ! have no reason
to doubt that this was the ease, a. the child
was constantly throwing up quantities f
viscld tenacious mucous. Taking. rs | lid.
this pathological view of the case, whether
erroneous or not, ] contended that if could
administer any remedial agent that would
separate the seeds, that the whole mass could
pass through the pyiOrus into the bowel,.
and consequently be discharged. With tn,
intention, gave my little patient the Nitrr,
Acid freely diluted with sweetened water
My calculations were happily realized.
In separating the seeds, supposed he
acid might act rs solvent on the yiscid mg
cous, which held them together also bal
another object in view when administer.
this remed y-and that was to support tie
strength ofthe child. as it is eminently tom
tohV l''""uic III giving IuDii'ItN ~ WY
case in compliance with the particular l-
quest of the worthy old man to whom have
alluded, and. also, that it may meet the eyc
Of many parent, and prove a warning
against suffering children to cram their
stomachs with Persimmons, containing the
hard indigestible seeds.
Here, deem it necessary that | should
supply some omissions which | have maie
inadvertently. Prior to the exhibition y,
the Nitric Acid, cathartic medicines of dif.
ferent kinds were employed without making
the slig htest impression on the mass, and j.
was not until the acid had been given for
several days that the seeds began to be di,
charged through the bowels. 1t occupied
period of FIVE or six weeks for the final rx-
pulson of the last seed-and from first to
last, there were eighty-nine hard seeds pa.
sed through the intestinal canal. At thu
time, the poor little sufferer has nearly re-
gained all its lost energies, and daily acquir
ing an increase of flesh and strength
T. p. HEREFORD, VI. D.
Clover Valley. Mason Co., Va. Feb. :.