Evening journal., 1898-10-07
pToMAINE POISONING.
Products or decomposition In Tain
ted Food Which Threaten Esu-
man Life.


In these days, when preserved pro-
visions are being so largely manuiac-
turcd 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 allSaloidal in character, and are
the active principles of nnimal tissue
In the same way as such alkaloids as
quinine and other similar drugs are
;he active principles of the clnchona
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 a few hours
after partaking Of the tainted food.
The patient complains of nausea, or
feels faint. Headache usually accom-
panies the nausea, which terminates
in fit or fts 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
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 pol
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
,-1 L., corrarnonno Tho r,nfianf uaft
rapidly weaker. In n few days n rasi
may break out over the body. Thi
character OF this rash varies, and &
usually n source Of much indocision n'
to the real cause of the Illness. Offer
boils break out on the face and neck
and this in an adult ought 10 indicat'
i, probable poisoning Of some sort. No
lnfrequently ptomaine poisoning from
the outset shows no other symptom
than that Of loss of strength. followc
= slowly hy loss Of consciousness dc
Z lirium and death As q rule, the req
cause Of such slower cascs Is not rcC
D ognized. They occur among the poor
and especially among those given Z
+ intemperancs and loanng. Such in1l
r viduals are not overcareful what the.
cat TO satisfy tho craving for hunger
! and therefore frequently fall victim
to this poison. Very little care Is tnlel
to discover. or, rather TO trace, tn
cause of illness in such people. It !
not unnaturally put down to the vic
b TINS bad habits and incorporate liy
ing.-Houschold Words.