The Case of a Man Who Was Poison'd by Eating Monks-Hood or Napellus, Communicated to the Royal Society by Mr. Vincent Bacon, Surgeon, F. R. S.

III. The Case of a Man who was poison'd by eating Monks-hood or Napellus, communicated to the Royal Society by Mr. Vincent Bacon, Surgeon, F. R. S. On Monday night last, being February the 5th, about Ten, I was called in haste to one John Crumpler, a Silk-Weaver, in Spittle-Fields; when I came into the Room, I found him lying on the Bed, his Head supported by a By-stander, his Eyes and Teeth fixed, his Nose pinched in, his Hands, Feet, and Forehead cold; and all covered with a cold Sweat, no Pulse to be perceived, and his Breath so short as scarce to be distinguished: Enquiring into the Case, I was told that he had been very well all Day, and about Eight had eaten a very hearty Supper of Pork, and a Salad drest with Oil and Vinegar; and though he was very merry at his Meal, he began immediately after to find an Indisposition: I asked of what the Salad was composed? and was answered, that there were in it nothing but common Salad Herbs, all which they bought at a Stall in the Market, except some Celery, which they had picked out of their own Garden. Suspecting that he had been eating some poisonous Herb, I asked if he found in the beginning of the Disorder any inclination to Vomit? They said no, but that when he found his Illness come upon him with great Violence, he believed himself to be poisoned, and forthwith drank a large quantity of Oil, not less than a Pint in all, and after that he loaded his Stomach with Carduus-Tea 'till he vomited, ed; and though he threw up the greatest Part of his Supper, yet the Symptoms still encreased, which made them send for me; but before I could get to him, things were come to the Extremity above described. Having nothing at hand but a Tea spoonful or two of Spirit of Hartshorn, I forced open his Teeth with the Handle of a Spoon, and as his Head was reclined, I poured the Spirit into his Mouth, which a little roused him, and first set him a Coughing, and next a Vomiting; I took the Advantage of the little Sense that was returned, and continued plying him with Carduus-Tea 'till he had vomited several times more, but I could not hinder his Swooning often between the Times of reaching, though I gave him after each forty or fifty Drops of Sal Volatile & Tinctur. Croc. aa.p. æ (which I had sent for) in a Glass of Wine; he at length began to find a Working downwards, as he afterwards expressed himself, which was followed by a Stool; after which he vomited two or three times more, and then said his Head was so heavy, and his Strength and Spirits so exhausted, though his Stomach and Bowels were much easier, that he must needs lie down: His Pulse was then a little returned, though very much interrupted and irregular, sometimes beating two or three Strokes very quick together, and then making a Stop of as long or a longer Time than the preceeding Strokes altogether took up. Having observed that what he had last vomited was little more than the pure Carduus-Tea, I then gave him a Draught made of Aq. Epidem. Ther. Androm. Conf. Alkerme. &c. and gave Orders to make him some Sack-whey to drink between whiles, sometimes alone, and in case of great Faintness with some of the above-named named Drops. It being near One o' Clock, I left him, and calling to see him on Tuesday in the Forenoon, found him much amended: He had lain awake, tho' still, an Hour or two after I left him, but being very cold and chilly, had a great deal of Covering laid on him, and then found a kindly Warmth come over his Limbs, which was succeeded by a moderate Sweat, and then a quiet Sleep of four or five Hours, from which he awaked very much refreshed; and when I was there, was capable of answering the Questions I asked him, I mean with regard to Strength; for his Senses had never failed him but during the Swoonings. I wanted to see some of the Sallad, but was told that they had eaten all that they picked, and the rest was thrown upon the Fire, so that nothing could be seen but the Celery, which being the Produce of their own Garden, the Boy who gathered it the Evening before, was ordered to fetch some more of the same; he presently brought a Specimen, which I took to be the common Monks-hood of our Gardens, called by Morison in his Prælud. Botan. Aconitum Spicà Florum pyramidalis: But that this Company may be more certain, I have brought a Specimen of the Plant taken from the same Place this Morning, which the Boy says is of the same Kind which he gathered before, and the Patient upon biting it, declares to have the same Taste which he perceived on Monday. But it may be observed, that it was not then so much shot up into Leaves as it is now: I desired him to give me an exact account of what Alterations he found in himself after the eating it, and how they came on: He said the first Symptom was a Sensation of a tingling Heat, which did not only affect his Tongue, but his Jaws, so that the Teeth seemed loose; and his Cheeks were so much irritated, that the People about him, my even his Looking-Glass could scarce persuade him but that his Face was swelled to twice its proper size; this tingling Sensation spread itself farther and farther, 'till it had taken hold of his whole Body, especially the Extremities; he had an Unsteadiness in the Joints, especially of the Knees and Ankles; with Twitchings upon the Tendons so that he could scarce walk across the Room, and he thought that in all his Limbs he felt a sensible Stop or Interruption in the Circulation of his Blood, and that from the Wrists to the Fingers ends, and from the Ankles to the Toes there was no Circulation at all; but he had no Sickness or Disposition to Vomit 'till he took the Oil, &c. Afterwards his Head grew giddy, and his Eyes misty and wandring, next a kind of humming or hissing Noise seemed continually to sound in his Ears, which was followed by the Syncopes above recited. There supped with him two Women the same Night; one of them happened to have a dislike to Celery, and therefore laid aside all that she took for such, the other having before been out of order, and was not then perfectly recovered, eat but sparingly, but took this supposed Celery along with the other Herbs; and felt, and complained of all the same Symptoms, but in a less Degree than the Man had done. She would not be prevailed on to Vomit, but only took the Cordial-Draught above described. I saw them both this Morning, the Man is quite well, but the Woman is still out of order. They They say that there was not put into the whole Sallad, more than what grows upon one of these Roots. Feb. 8th, 1732. IV. Descriptio Luminum Borealium Vitemberge Anno CIO IOCC XXXII. conspectorum. Auctore Joh. Frider. Weidlero LL. D. Mathef. Profess. Primar. Vitemberg. R. S. S. ANNO 1732, die 18 Febr. St. V. circa horam IX vesperinam sereno coelo aurora borealis eniuit. Nimirum sub septemtrionibus arcus ater 20 gradibus parte sui media elevatus hora IX conspectus est, cum paulo ante eadem vespera coelum ibidem ferenum fuisset notatum. Imminens atro illi arcui coeli regio candida erat, atque ex hac subinde erumpabant solitae luminis borei radiationes, sive pyramides luminosae, tum etiam vapores candidi pertenues, qui instar nubecularum celeri motu versus verticem ferebantur. Hora x aliquamdiu cessare motus materiae luminosae videbatur; mox tamen vapores albi undarum specie iterum ex alba illa coeli regione prodibant: imago autem tentorii prope verticem visa non fuit. Hora x. min. 30. alba arcus caliginosi fascia dilatabatur, sed vapores lucidi inde parcius exibant. Pyramides lucidae utrimque prope Septentrionis cardinem enascebantur. Vapores vero fluctuantes versus occasum erant frequentiores. Aer perpetuo tranquillus erat. Q q Anno