Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-09-19
PToMAINE POISONING.
Products or decomposition I'm Tain
ted Food Which Threaten HUI
man Life.

In these days, when preserved pro-
visions are being so largely manufac-
tured to meet the equally large de-
mand for such articles of diet, and
when, by the aid of the refrigerator,
we are supplied with meat all the way
from the antipodes, we find that we
have new danger to face. This is the
liability, owing to accident or neglect
during the preserving process or dur
ing transit, of the food changing for
the worse, or, as we say, going bad"
Unfortunately, such tainted food is
not readily detected, and the uncon-
scious consumer is, therefore, open to
the risk Of being unawares seriously or
fatally poisoned.
Tainted food contains the products
Of decomposition which are technical
" known as ptomaines. Beyond the
fact that some of these ptomaines are
highly poisonous, very little else is
known about them. They are still the
subject of investigation, and so far we
are only able to gather that ptomaines
are alkaloidal in character, and are
the active principles of animal tissue
In the same way as such alkaloids as
quinine and other similar drugs are
the active principles of the cinchona
and other plants.
The symptoms of ptomaine poison
ing may be acute, or they may be
vague and underlined. When acute, the
symptoms usually set in few hours
after partal1ing of the tainted food.
The patient complains of nausea, or
feels faint. Headache usually accom-
panies the nausea, which terminates
in a fit or fits of vomiting. This sick
ness is often very violent and uncon-
trollable. The patient complains of
great pain in the abdomen, and moth
ing appears to relieve this distressing
symptom. Meantime the temperature
1 and pulse rise, and all the symptoms
increase In intensity. Distressing
retching takes the place of sickness
and not infrequently the patients
aspect is that of one in great agony
But every one of these symptoms may
differ in quality and intensity in diff
ferent cases, so that it is only the ex
perienced eye that can, from a survey
of the whole symptoms, recognize the
case as one of evident ptomaine poi
soning.
Sometimes this poisoning IS slow
the symptoms are not violent; the pa
tient complains of lassitude and weak
ness. There Is also loss of appetite
and in consequence the patient get
rapidly weaker. In a few days n rasl
may break out over the body. TIL
r character of this rash varies, and !
usually source of much indecision a
to the real cause of the illness. Oftel
boils break out on the face and neck
and this in an adult ought to indicat
probable poisoning Of some sort. No
infrequently ptomaine poisoning fror
r the outset shows no other symptor
+ than that Of loss Of strength, followe
slowly by loss of consciousness, d,
lirium and death. As a rule, the ret
cause of such slower cases Is not re-
ognized. They occur among the poo
: and especially among those given I
4 intemperance and loafng. Such ind
n viduals are not overcareful what the
r eat to satisfy the craving for hunge
a and therefore frequently fall victim
@ to this poison. Very little care Is take
K 10 discover. or, rather TO trace, III
/, cause of illness in such people. It
/. not unnaturally put down TO the VIZ
It TINS bad habits and Incorporate Ii
e ing.-Household Words.