Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-02-14
WHAT The DOCTORS AFFIRM,
symptoms Of Alimentary Poisoning
from the Use of Spoiled Arti-
eles Of Food.
All Food Stuffs May be Suspected, and
How You May Detect
Fermentation.
Terrifying Effects on Animals that
had been Inoculated with Spoiled
Preserved Meats.


European edition Of the Herald
The injury that may be done to our
health by using certain articles Of food
that have become spotted has been known
from time immemorial, but no truly scien-
titic explanation of this form OF accident has
ever been given until our day. Every
one has read Of cases of poisoning eansed
by eating shell fish, or pork that has be-
come charged with trichinoSis These
two accidents are quite frequent, particu-
larry IN certain countries where the un-
fortonate habit exists Of not submitting
articles destined for the table to q sufficient
amount o. cooking
But in addition to these there are a num-
Der Of other alimentarY poisoning, and on
examining the question we finds that dam
aged meats Of all kinds forms Of charcu-
terIe, game, cheese and the various va
rieties of sea fish particularly the repre-
sentative Of the crustacean and molusc
familles) nave been accused in turn of do
ing damage. There is no doubt that
these different articles Of food have caused
cases of poisoning under certain fixed GER
Of these cases will be seen at a glance when
we add that in more than one instance
they were followed by the death Of several
victims.
SIGNS OF POISONING.
By shat exterior signs do these cases of
poisoning by alimentary products mani
fest themselves? In general way 1t can
be said that each one OF the different APP
paratus Of organic life can be interested
or compromised to a certain degree, and
it is easy to see that in complex cases this
fact will produce great variety OF symp-
toms. Disorders to the digestive tapp-
ratus naturally appear first, and sometimes
take such a serious form that. in many
cases, an attack Of true and specific cholera
has been feared.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhpa con-
stitute the symptoms that are usually met
with. and that are considered almost
obligatory. IL Is exceptionable that these
symptoms should be wanting, and com
bined with them we generally find the
form of internal Inflammation, which
physicians call gastro-enterits This is
characterized by the loss Of appetite, u
feeling of disgust ut the thought of food.
continue thirst and redness of the tongue.
The fact that the nervous system is affect
ed likewise is show by the person weak
ness, feeling of lassitude, prostration
(which may amount to temporary paraly-
sis1, chills, cramps in the legs and head
ache (which is sometimes atrocious).
Different disorders Of the heart are
also met with and some cases have been
seen in which the symptoms pointed TO a
case OF poisoning by one of the substances
considered as having a specific of action
on the central organ of the circulation
Ddigitalina cucoaine, &cl feeling Of
anxiety and oppression and very weak
pulse belong especially to the latter cate
CORY Of accidents.
SYMPTOMS OF ALIMENTARY POISONING.
The phenomena which show themselves
in connection with the external treatment
are more apparent, and are sometimes the
only signs we find IN, and cause the least
anxiety, although their Specification be-
come often more complicated owing to
their coincidence with more.serious symp-
toms connected with the internal organs
They usually consist in different forms Of
eruptlons, generally Of congestiye nature
that is to say, produced by simple tenn
porary disorders of the circulation, owing
TO winch the skin shows red spots, more
or less ditfused IN extent and other marks
Of different varieties, accompanied by an
intense itching which Is extreamly disagree
able. One form OF the latter is represent
ed by urticaria, an eruption very much
like that produced on the skin by flea bites
or by nette stings Uricaria appears
especially after meals during which she'll
fish, Holsters or crabs have been eaten. 1t
also shows itself on persons who have par
taken of strawberries. or of certain forms
OF CharCuterle, and 1t Is without doubt the
symptom of a certain kind of poisoning.
This is short resume of the symptoms
of what are called by common consents Of
alimentary poisoning Our predecessors
who We're quite aware of the existence
such cases; but owing to a lack of sufficient
means of investigation an exact expqna-
ton of their cause was unknown 10
them
], is to the chemical and physiological
researches Of our dag that we owe our
precise knowledge on these points. a few
Years ago MN, Semi, in Italy, Gautier in
France. and Bneger, in Germany, took up
this question and discovered in spoiled
meat several forms of poisonous sub
stances, OF which they succeeded in isolat-
ing a certain number.
According to NJ. Gautier these poisons
are really alkaloids and are similar in
every respect TO vegetable alkaloids
caffeine. morphine and atropinel tc which
they can be compared both in their chem
ica. fornulR anj physiological properties
Different names have been given to these
poiSOus, but for our present purpose il
will be sufficient to say that they may be
divided into two principal caJegories
plumaiues, which are the produc, Of the
pu,re8etiou of animal tissues. and lsuco-
maine. which are created in these tissues
while they ore in q fresh condition and
white the animal Is alive This 3estinc-
ton Is even little subtle, and the limit
between the two groups Is ia many eases
mot very closely defined
IF. now, we wish ,1 yet I'm insiga. into
the activity OF these chemical poI>ons we
have cnly 10 refer to the very numerous
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