Account of two cases of death from eating mussels : with some general observations on fish-poison / by George Man Burrows.

  • George Man Burrows
Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Account of two cases of death from eating mussels : with some general observations on fish-poison / by George Man Burrows. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ftidered as condiments which stimulate the digestive organs,, and excite them to resist the effects of obnoxious aliments, rather than as acting specifically on the poison. I have already (page 18) noticed that sugar has been, exhibited by Mr. Stevenson, late of St. Kitt’s, as an antidote for fish-poison ; and that the same substance is recommended by M. Orfila to counteract the effects of cupreous poison: but although it cannot from this circumstance alone follow that o cupreous and fish-poison are the same, yet it is in itself a very curious and singular coincidence in practice, and merits parti¬ cular attention. In the paper, on the deleterious effects cf mussels, in the Gazette de Saute, to which I have before referred, there is also mention made of remedies which have been found highly serviceable in such cases, that may by some be considered as supporting the efficacy of sugar as an antidote to fish-poison ; although the French physicians have employed it as a mere vehicle for other medicines, to which alone they ascribe the relief experienced. The editors declare, that in many of the cases they have seen of this nature, large doses of sether have immediately removed all the troublesome symptoms. They advise that 20, 30, or 40 drops should be given, on a piece of sugar, every half-hour, or that three or four drachms may be mixed with syrup, and a spoonful be taken at intervals till the symptoms abate. Now a question may arise, whether the relief afforded should be attributed to the action of the aether, as a stimulus, or to a peculiar antidotal property of the sugar. Dr. Rom/, in the case to wrhich these observations of the editors apply, says, he administered brandy in some infusion (animee) ; but that it afforded no relief; and that he then gave sulphuric aether in sugared water, which did produce some relief, although it vras momentary. It will be observed that Dr. Rony did not exhibit the brandy with any form of sugar, and the mere stimulus of the spirit was then inefficient, and when a spirit (aether) was joined with sugar, in a weak solution, some good, though transitory, was obtained; but when the spirit was combined with sugar in the more concen¬ trated forms of crystals and of syrup, the relief vras complete.
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