The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-07-28

served. which d.. Aubin terms, re-
spectively, gastric, nervous and cerc-
bral. In the gastric form glddlness
and nausea are followed by severe
and persistent vomiting, which my
last on and off for two days. There
IS usually some abdominal pain, but
this is not, as a rule, prominent
symptom. The mouth feels dry and
glazed. Apparently no irrltant ac-
ton is exerted on the bowels, tor
d;arrhoea was never observed. In the
attributes the symptoms to irritation
OF the neripheral nerves, which is IN
dicated b tenderness in the muscles;
pains. chiefly OF burning character
in the muscles OF the arms, the legs,
the back and the abdomen; itching
and a feeling of pins and needles"
or nun1bness in the arms and the legs.
Such symptoms are observed IN the
earlv stages OF peripheral neaEltls
and in poisoning by mussels. In the
third mode OF onset cerebral symp-
toms occur.
For example, Maori who had par
taken largely OF honey suddenly
dropped down in a fit. He became
unconscious and fits recurred, at in
tervals. Deliriurn may be the first
SYMPTOM. In severe cases, as rule,
the gastric, nervous and cerebral
SYMPTOMS are combined, one set OF
symptoms predorninating. The char
acteristic symptom of poisoning by
honey as observed in New Zealand is
the epileptiform fit This, as stated
NAV mark the onset or may not oc-
cur for an hour or more. 1t differs
in no way from an ordinary epileptlc
fit and may be preceded by a cry
The head is jerked to one side with
coniugate deviation of the eyes, and
tonic and clonic spasms occur. -Cya-
nosis and frothing at the mouth are
present and the tongue may be Dit
ten badly. After the fit the patent
b restless and delirious. In severe
cases the patient is unconscious BE-
tween the fits, which usually recur
several times. In some cases the con-
vulsions may be more or less contlnu-
ous and may result in death. The fits
generally cease in less than twenty
four hours. Slight vaso-motor phe-
nomena are usually present, the face
and the skin generally feeling hot
and swollen. Urticaria was never OBJ
served. The duration Of the illness is
from few hours to two days, though
nervous symptoms are sometimes
complained Of for a considerable time
afterward. In fatal cases death uSu-
allv occurs within twent ty-Four hours.
The symptoms. no doubr, arc due ~
a poison in the honey, probably OF
the nature OF an alkaloid which affects
chiefly. if not wholly, the nervous
system. The gastric symptoms, Dr.
! Aubin thinks, are OF cerebral origin
a view which is supported by the a6-
sence of signs OF intestinal irritation.
We NAV add that in other countries
such signs have been observed.
as to the source OF the poison MIR
Hopkins, government apiarist, thinks
that it comes from the yellow flowers
of cress-like plant called the "whau-
riki," which grows chiefly in swamps
In other countries a species of rho
dendron has been suspected. Wild
honey found near the New Zealand
swamps is especially liable to be pois-
onous. The most remarkable feature
of the symptoms is the eplleptltorm
fits-a condition unknown in acute
poisoning due to any other cause
though we'll recognized in chronic
plumbisn. With regard to treatment
DR.. Aubin recommends the admins
tration OF an emetic, if vomiting has
not occurred, and washing out OF the
stomach in all cases. Potassium bro
mide should be given in full doses. A
dose OF calomel followed by an enema
IS also beneficial. As rule stinulantE