CARBONEUM HYDROGENISATUM.
Carboneum hydrogenisatum. Carburetted hydrogen, Ethene, Olefiant gas, C2H4. This gas is sparingly soluble in water, but
considerably soluble in alcohol.
Authorities.
[To the proving of Sir Humphrey Davy are added
some selected cases of poisoning by illuminating gas;
this latter gas is of complex and somewhat variable composition, containing marsh gas,
olefiant gas, hydrogen, carbonous oxide, nitrogen, vapors of volatile hydrocarbons, and
vapor of carbonic sulphide; it thus occupies a position between carbonous oxide and carbonic
sulphide; the cases here collected possess sufficient interest to justify their insertion,
though obtained from such a variable source.] 1, Sir H.
Davy, from Paris’s Life of Davy (Lond. Med. Gaz., 7, 563), inhaled the pure gas from a bag; 2, Sedillot, Gaz. de Strast., 1845 (S. J. Suppl., vol. 4), poisoning by illuminating gas; 3,
Seitz, Deutsch. Kl., 1852 (S. J., 76, p. 187), ibid.; 4,
Gærtner, Wurt. Corr. Bl., 1853 (S. J., 79, p. 288), ibid.; 5,
Cless, Wurt. Corr. Bl., 1854 (S. J., 86, p. 34), ibid.; 6,
Jaushet, L’Union, 1857 (S. J., 95, p. 76), suffocated by coal damp;
7, Otho, Gaz. Sarda., 1858 (S. J., 98, 171), poisoning by illuminating gas; 8,
Leopold, V. f. Ger. Med., 1858 (S. J., 100, 293), ibid.; 9,
Mayer, Om. Schr. f. Geburt, 1858 (S. J., 104, 189), poisoning of two pregnant women by
illuminating gas; 10, Schumacher, Henke Zeit., 1862 (S.
J., 113, p. 292), poisoning by il luminating gas; 11,
Sieveking, Lancet, 1869, ibid.; 12, Wallichs, Deutsche
Klin., 1869 (S. J., 151, 273), ibid.; 13, De Chaumont,
Lancet, 1873, poisoning by coal gas; 14, William Taylor,
M.D., Monograph on poisoning by coal gas, Edinb., 1874; 15,
Tourdes (six cases, five fatal) from Taylor’s work; 16,
Maclagan, cases from Taylor’s work.
MIND.
► Emotional. ► An extraordinary sensation of contentment, so that life seems
exalted; all his thoughts appear in a moment as if seen in an inner mirror, [4]. ► She occasionally gave loud
cries, [4]. ► Only
replied by monosyllables, [15]. ► Intellectual. ►
Answers questions slowly but correctly, [5]. ► Some confusion of mind, [16].
► Ideas confused for forty-eight hours, [15]. ► Intellectual faculties a
blank, [15]. ►
Complete loss of sensibility, [6]. ► Insensibility, [13]. [10.] ► Lost all power of
perceiving external things, and had no distinct sensation except that of a terrible
oppression on the chest, [1]. ►
Loss of consciousness, [5], [10]. ► Complete loss of
consciousness, [4]. ►
Consciousness completely lost, [15]. ► Completely unconscious, [7].
► Fell unconscious to the ground, [2]. ► Suddenly fell down
unconscious, [7]. ►
Fell heavily on the floor, yet the shock of the concussion did not rouse her to
consciousness; but when the room was broken into, she heard the first words that were
pronounced, and recognized one of the doctors who came to her help, [15]. ► Lying on back,
unconscious, mouth widely open, and breathing audible, with a subdued stertor, [14]. ► Stupefaction, [5], [8]. [20.] ► Coma, [5]. ► Deep coma, [12]. ► Deeply comatose, [14]. ► Entirely
comatose, [16].
HEAD.
► Confusion and Vertigo.
► Confusion of the head continues a long time, [4]. ► Vertigo, [4], [8], [9], [10]. ► After making a few steps into the open air, his head became
giddy, his knees trembled, and he had just sufficient power to throw himself on the grass, [1]. ► Slight giddiness, [1]. ► Extreme giddiness,
[13]. ► The
giddiness returned with such violence as to oblige him to lie on the bed; it was accompanied
with nausea, loss of memory, and deficient sensation (after two hours and a half), [1]. ► General Head.
[30.] ► Heaviness of
the head, [10]. ►
Head heavy and exceedingly painful (second day), [6]. ► Pain in head, [1]. ► Pain and pressure in the head, [10].
► Headache, [5]. ► Great headache, [13]. ► Severe pressure in the brain, [4].
► Forehead. ►
Frontal headache, [4]. ►
Excruciating pain in forehead and between eyes (after four hours), [1].
EYE.
► Eyes sunken, [7]. [40.] ► Eyes distorted, [4]. ► Lids. ► Eyes half
closed, [14]. ►
Conjunctiva. ► Conjunctiva red, [3]. ► Conjunctivæ slightly
injected, [15]. ► Ball.
► The eyeballs oscillated from side to side, with a
lateral, or perhaps obliquely lateral motion; this rolling was as nearly as possible
synchronous with the breathing; it was continuous and simultaneous, both eyes moving in the
same direction at the same time. It was uninfluenced by the presence or absence of light,
and was unvarying in its regularity, whether the eyelids were open or closed. No individual
symptom was more remarkable than the steady and extreme oscillation of the eyeballs. These
traversed laterally the extreme area of motion, as if the patient were anxiously looking as
far as he could to the right, then as far as he could to the left; and neither light nor
darkness, irritation nor repose, nor the internal conditions which governed the varying
sensibility of the pupils, seemed in any way to modify the constancy of this motion, or
relieve the monotony of its rhythm. Even when once or twice we thought that, by means of the
active stimuli employed, we awakened a slight response, it only took the character of a
groan, together with a momentary half-knowing look. The eyeballs never rested, [14]. ► Pupil. ► Pupils dilated, insensible to light, [3]. ► Pupils widely dilated,
insensible, [5]. ►
Pupils contracted, [15]. ►
Pupils contracted, insensible, [4]. [50.] ► Pupils insensible and
partially dilated, [14]. ►
Vision. ► Dark bodies moving before the eyes
(second day), [6].
EAR.
► Roaring in the ears
(second day), [6].
FACE.
► Staring look, [5]. ► Had quite the
expression of being in a profound slumber, the mouth being relaxed, hanging down, and the
saliva overflowing it, [14]. ►
Face soiled with blackish purulent matter, which was spurted about him, [15]. ► Face scarlet, [4]. ► Face red, turgid, [5]. ► Face bluish, [10]. ► Face cyanotic, [12]. [60.] ► Pale face, [5], [6], [9], [15]. ► Face pale,
sunken, with blue eyelids and lips, [10]. ► Face, neck, and upper part of forehead congested and livid,
the purple of the forehead forming a broad band, which deepened over the eyebrows, and
shaded off towards the scalp, which was natural in color, [14].
► Face drawn, wrinkled, [7].
► Face distorted in trismus, [7]. ► Features distorted, and
mouth covered with foam, [15]. ► Lips. ► Lips blue, [9]. ► Cheeks. ► Cheeks puffy, [4]. ► The teeth being kept apart by a wooden gag in one side of the
mouth, the opposite cheek, on the free side of the mouth, was flaccid, and flapped loosely
with every breath, [14]. ►
First complaint was of pain in her cheek and the right side of head, [15]. ► Chin. [70.] ► Jaws tightly clenched,
[12]. ► Jaws firmly
closed, the one against the other; deglutition impossible, [15].
► Teeth firmly clenched, [14].
► When the current of air reached the sleeper, his teeth
became firmly clenched, and his lips tightly closed over them. The breathing was then less
full than formerly, and immediate suffocation seemed inevitable, [14]. ► On removing some tenacious
mucus from the depending side of the mouth, his teeth snapped my finger, and remained closed
for about a minute. They afterwards relaxed and opened, [14].
► Trismus, [10]. ► Slight degree of trismus, frequently interrupted by yawning, [4]. ► A high grade of
trismus, [5]. ► A
very great degree of trismus, [4]. ► The trismus increases; clonic cramps set in; repeated every
four or five minutes, [3].
MOUTH.
[80.] ► Foam from the mouth, [10].
► Bloody froth from the mouth, [5]. ► Breath had a faint, sickly,
stomachy fetor, [14]. ►
Yellow-tinged froth collected at the mouth, [14].
THROAT.
► Every time the
feather was introduced in tickling the fauces, it came away loaded with glairy, pinkish,
sero-sanguineous discharge, the source of which seemed almost inexhaustible, [14].
STOMACH.
► Nausea and Vomiting.
► Nausea, [8]. ► Nausea for everything, [4].
► Inclination to vomit, [9].
► Vomiting, [5], [8], [10]. ► Vomited once, [15]. [90.] ► Violently sick, [13]. ► Stomach. ► Digestion is impaired, [4].
► Violent cramps in the stomach, [4].
STOOL.
► Involuntary
passage of stool and urine, [3], [15]. ► Thin rice-water stools,
for some time after the attack, [4]. ► Stool frequent, consisting of thin fæces, mixed with dark
blood and mucus, [4]. [This character of the
evacuations is doubtless dependent upon the extensive ecchymosis of the intestinal canal.]
RESPIRATORY ORGANS.
► Voice.
► Voice very feeble and indistinct, [1]. ► Cough. ► Slight cough, which did not last long, [15]. ► Violent paroxysms of
cough, [9]. ►
Respiration. ► Mucous râles at bases of
lungs, [14]. [100.]
► Stertorous breathing, [15].
► Breath smelling strongly of gas, [16]. ► Breath strongly
impregnated with gas, [14]. ►
Respiration accelerated, [5]. ►
Respiration rapid, rattling, [5]. ► Breathing quick, and interrupted by profound inspirations and
sighs, [15]. ►
Respiration frequent, superficial, [9]. ► Respirations 48 (second day), [14].
► Respirations 30-36, [16].
► Respirations 28 (seven hours after being found), [14]. [110.] ► Respiration 16-18 per minute (two hours after being found), [14]. ► Respiration
irregular, stertorous, intermitting, [3]. ► Respiration short, stertorous, slow, [7]. ► Breathing feeble and
irregular, [15]. ►
Respiration very weak, at long intervals, [4]. ► Breathing labored, fluctuating, interrupted, [14]. ► Difficult respiration, [12]. ► Dyspnœa, [8]. ► Sensation of
suffocation, [4], [13].
► Threatened suffocation, [1].
[120.] ► After
bleeding, the breathing appeared easier, the patient made a movement with the head, and
executed a profound inspiration, which he followed by a noisy inspiration; soon the
breathing became embarrassed; mucous râles were heard, [15].
CHEST.
► Congestion of the
lungs, [6]. ►
Sounds of the heart scarcely audible on account of mucous râles in the chest, [5]. ► Sort of numbness
and loss of feeling in chest and about pectoral muscles, [1].
► Oppression of the chest, [44].
► Transient pains in chest and extremities, [1]. ► Very violent
tearing pains in the thorax, [4].
HEART AND PULSE.
► Heart’s
Action. ► Beating of the heart scarcely
noticed, [3]. ► Pulse.
► Pulse strong, rapid, and regular, [6]. ► Pulse much quicker and more
feeble, [1]. [130.]
► Pulse threadlike, and beating with excessive quickness,
[1]. ► Pulse small,
rapid, [12]. ►
Pulse 96 (seven hours after being found), [14]. ► Pulse 100, [11]. ► Pulse 112, small and weak (second day), [14]. ► Pulse 120, and very
feeble, [1], [16].
► Pulse small, 120, [15].
► Pulse small and weak, 95, [3]. ► Pulse 78, soft (six hours
after being found), [14]. ►
Pulse 72-75, less regular, intermissions occasionally as often as 1 in 4 (four hours after
being found), [14]. [140.]
► Pulse steady, but feeble (two hours after being found),
[14]. ► Pulse and
respiration extremely weak, [10]. ► Pulse scarcely perceptible, [7].
► Pulse 60, scarcely perceptible, [4]. ► Pulse almost imperceptible,
[14]. ► Pulse
imperceptible, [15].
NECK AND BACK.
► Violent
spasms of the extensors of the back, [5].
EXTREMITIES IN GENERAL.
►
Extremities flexed, [4]. ►
Extremities relaxed, [7]. ►
All the members in a state of resolution, as if paralyzed, [15].
[150.] ► Loss of
motion of the limbs, [12]. ►
Spasmodic stretching and trembling of the limbs, [10].
► Weariness of the limbs, [8].
► Limbs felt paralyzed; they staggered (two cases), [11].
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES.
►
Arms flexed on elbow-joints, [5]. ► The arms are flexed on elbows; can only be stretched out by
force, [4]. ► Arms
semi-flexed in front of the body; hands resting on abdomen, [14].
► Trembling of the hands, [11].
► Fingers constantly flexed, [4].
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
► Objective.
► Whole appearance betokened speedy dissolution,
reminding one very much of the appearances presented when a patient is dying from the
effects of an overdose of chloroform, [14]. [160.] ► The symptoms
throughout bore a strong resemblance to those of apoplexy and even the copious perspirations
had a like fatal import, [14]. ►
One very marked characteristic was the rapidly fluctuating nature of the conditions which
presented themselves. These were alternately encouraging and discouraging, the system at one
time striving vigorously to work off the poisonous load, and anon sinking exhausted with the
effort. Thus the periods of hopeful tranquillity, when the pulse was steady and the
breathing regular, were always followed by intervals of shorter duration when all these
functions were deranged, [14]. ►
Remained immovable, lying on her back, [15]. ► Remained immovable, lying on her back; at 4 o’clock the
immobility was less complete, but she seized objects with the left hand; could not move the
right hand nor leg, [15]. ►
Lying as if dead, cold and pale, as soon as the window was opened, violent convulsions set
in, [3]. ► On
venesection, the blood, of a dark-red color, dribbled at first, but at length jetted freely,
[15]. ► Trembling, [2]. ► Occasional but
slight convulsive indications, which became more frequent and perceptible, affecting the
trunk and limbs only, not the head or face, [14]. ► Weakness, [16]. ► Excessive weakness, [1],
[5]. [170.] ► Considerably weakened, and strength only came back slowly, [15]. ► Movements weak
and incomplete, [15]. ►
General exhaustion continues several days, [4]. ► At last she was not able to rise on account of prostration
and weakness, [9]. ►
Loss of muscular power, [10]. ►
Momentary loss of voluntary power, [1]. ► During night, became agitated and feverish, tormented with
thirst and with painful dreams, [15]. ► Anæsthesia, [8]. ► Skin insensible, [4]. ► Skin completely insensible, [6].
► Subjective. [180.]
► Seemed sinking into annihilation, [1].
SKIN.
► Skin white, veins
seem dark-colored, [4]. ►
Skin livid, [11]. ►
Painful tingling sensation in right leg, [15].
SLEEP AND DREAMS.
► Fell
asleep, and from that moment lost all consciousness for forty hours; only remembered a
sensation as of a painful dream, [15]. ► Sleep prolonged and very deep, interrupted by cramps in the
jaws and in the toes, [4].
FEVER.
► Chilliness.
► Cold skin, [5]. ► Body cold and feebly rigid, [14].
► Skin icy cold, [15].
► Skin generally cold, excepting the head, [3]. [190.] ►
Chilliness, [10]. ►
Shaking chill, [5]. ►
Shaking with chill, [9]. ►
Violent attacks of chill, [5]. ►
Limbs cold, [2]. ►
Extremities cold, [5]. ►
Extremities icy cold, [11]. ►
Sweat. ► Sweating copiously; sweat smells of
gas, [14]. ► Skin
covered with profuse clammy sweat, [7]. ► Great drops of sweat over the whole body, especially on the
head, [4].® 2000
Article