The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-09
HE HAS A TOMATO HEART.
A Cincinnatian Afflicted With a Pc
cuIiar Disease.
From the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
Cincinnati, Dec. 2-Epicures especially
and the public in general should be warn
ed by the fate of Paul D. Warner, who
was yesterday discharged from the city
hospital, not because he was entirely
cured, but because, afflicted with two dis
eases, he decided to seek a different eli
mate, beneficial to the more fatal of the
two. When admitted to the institution
several months ago Warner, while show
ing symptoms of consumption, was also
suffering from a peculiar heart affiiction,
which, after repeated examinations by the
attending physicians, was pronounced to
be lycopersicum cardiopathia, or tomato
heart.
Curious as it may seem, the mans debil-
ltated condition and the weakness of that
important organ, was due to the patient 5
love for the luscious vegetable, which he
ate at every meal. Before entering upon
the peculiar disease which the fondness
for this vegetable produced on Warner,
it might be well to state that physicians
who have met with this rare affliction
before have also studied the history of the
vegetable itself. From their account it
appears that the tomato was first intro
duced into this country about the latter
part of the sixteenth century, and was
found only in the conservatories of the
wealthy On account of its peculiar
beauty, it was subsequently taken to Eu-
rope.
The fruit, or vegetable, was considered
poisonous to the human, but it was OBJ
served that it was eaten by the lower
animals. This fact excited general curl
osity. and it was tested and adopted as
an article of diet in some sections of
America. 1t was not until the beginning
of the civil war that the acceptance. of The
tomato as an edible became general, ana
Europe, up to the present time. has not
given it a welcome Analysists have
placed it among the vegetables. consist
ing of over So per cent. water, and it's fluid
element has been found to consist of an
acid called by some acidum lycopersicum.
and by others as acetic and malic in com
bination. Scientists have long ago dis
covered, however that to some persons
the tomato is a veritable poison. In some
cases the symptoms develop Immediately
and are alarming, and in others the results
are cumulative. In the latter as in the
case of Warner, an abnormal hypersensi-
tlVeness OF the heart and the circula torv
apparatus is discovered. First a sinpia
heart irritability, with a latent inflamma>
ton, is observed, then an Inflammation Of
the inner wall, especially about the aortlc
roots and valves. The heart passes out
of irregularity and inequality of rhythm
and force Difficult breathing super
Venes and limits the capacity of exertion.
When first admitted Warner exhibited
all the symptoms of acute poisoning. and
for a while his case baffied the skill Of the
attending physicians Only when his in
ordinate fondness for the fruit was discov-
cred was a diagnosis made possible. He
suffered pain and gastric uneasiness, sue
ceeded by choking, belchings and heart
burn and vomiting. Then came an arrest
of the vital activity within the chest, and
the poor patient suffered as much mentally
as physically, peculiar action of the dis
ease being that it impresses itself upon the
mind. creating depression and gloomy pre-
monitions. Cold sweats appeared upon his
forehead, being produced by heart fright.
Headaches and tension about the temples
became manifest accompanied by languor
At times also Warmers speech became i'm
peded, and he found it difficult to articu-
late, followed by an incoherence of thought,
several ideas seeming TO seek expression
at the same time He also experienced
numbness of the fingers and tongue, and
general perversion of the senses. During
Warmers stay at the hospital he was treat
ed freely with acetanilid and alcohol in
equal proportions, and while improving
under this treatment, he was by no means
cured when he was discharged yesterday.
This was only DONE however. at the ear
nest solicitation of the patient himself, as
he was afflicted with consumption, as be-
fore stated, and desired to go 10 a differ
ent climate for relief from this disease, the
more dangerous of the two.