Cuprum Arsenicosum
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Arsenite of copper; CuHAsO3 (Scheele's Green). (Some of the cases of poisoning may be due to Schweinfurt Green, a double salt of arsenite and acetate of copper).
Preparation , Triturations.
Authorities.
1 , Dr. James Blakely, Hahn. Month., 3, 571 (Blackely's provings, potency given in brackets after each symptom); [Symptoms without authority are so given in the original.]
2 , Dr. R. C. Smedley, ibid.; 3 , Dr. C. W. Boyce, ibid.; 4 , Dr. George, S. Foster, ibid.; 5 , Mr. L., ibid.; 6 , A. Chevallier, "Le Cuivre," p. 47, poisoning of a child by licking a shell covered with Scheele's Green, from J. de Connaiss. Méd., 1840; 7 , same, effects on workmen; 8 , same, poisoning of three persons by strawberries from a vessel colored with Cup. arsen.; 9 , Finnel, a woman took some to commit suicid, N. Y. Med. Rec., 4, 16; 10 , Leale, a woman took "ten cents' worth," same, p. 70; 11 , Br. and F. Med.-Chir. Rev., 1851, poisoning (three cases) by confectionery; 12 , Fergus, Lond. Med. Gaz., 1849, poisoning of three children; 13 , Traill, Lond. and Edin. J. of Med. Sc., 1851, a child ate some; 14 , Rumfelt, Henke's Zeit., 1846, effect of taking a large amount in some beer (Fr., 3, 109); Lewinstein, Wach. f. d. Ges. Heilk., 1842, a child ate cake colored with it; 16 , Br. J. of Hom., 19, 332, effect on a worker in it; 17 , same, a second case; 18 , Fiedler, Hygea, 10, 472, a girl aged 3 years ate some of the gree coloring; 19 , Bully, Lond. Med. Times, 1849, p. 507, a girl and a boy poisoned by eating candies colored by
Cupr. arsen.
MIND
- Emotional.
- Child began to cry, 15.
- Uttered piercing screams, and ran about the room (after half an hour), 6.
- Great anxiety, 18.
- Irritable and feverish ( 2 ), 4.
- Intellectual.
- Confusion of ideas ( 12 ), (after thirty-five minutes), 1.
HEAD
- Vertigo.
- Vertigo, confusion of ideas, and *headache between the temples (after thirty-five minutes), ( 12 ), 1.
- Dizziness, 8 ; ( 2 ), 4.
- Sensation as of gentle rotary motion in the brain, after studying ( 3 ), 2.
- Slight reeling sensation in the brain after studying ( 6 ), 2.
- General Head. [10.]
- Dulness and confusion of the head, 1.
- Dulness of the head, with pain, worse in the left temple ( 11 ), (after three-quarters of an hour), 1.
- Dulness and soreness of the head in the morning, after waking, 1.
- General feeling of dulness in the head, ( 2 ), 4.
- Dull heavy pain in head the entire evening ( 12 ), 1.
- Headache, 16 ; ( 30 ), 3.
- Headache is very severe all the evening, and the bones of the face very sore ( 12 ), 1.
- He could not sleep until 2 A.M., the headache continuing very severe ( 12 ), (after two hours and three-quarters), 1.
- Dull headache all the forenoon ( 12 ), 1.
- On awaking he had the same dull headache as on the previous night ( 11 ), 1. [20.]
- General dull headache, ( 11 ), 1.
- Fulness of the head ( 2 ), 4.
- Immediately after taking the fourth dose, experienced a fulness in the head; the brain seemed to expand and press against the frontal bone ( 10 ), 1.
- After reading an hour, experienced a distinct and rolling sensation in the brain; felt as if I might fall forward; the sensation passed off while walking in the open air and talking ( 12 ), .
EYE
- Eyes dim, 14.
- Eyes comatose, 15. [50.]
- Eyes swollen in the morning, 17.
- Orbit.
- Persistent boring pain in a small spot above the left superior orbital arch, with soreness of arch when touched ( 12 ), (after thirty-one hours), 1.
- Soreness of the left orbital bones, and of the left side of the nose ( 12 ), (after fifty-five minutes), 1.
- Severe sharp pain in the superior arch of the right orbital bone ( 12 ), 1.
- Soreness of the left superior orbital arch when touched, 1.
- Vision.
- Black specks before the eyes ( 2 ), 4.
EAR
- Frequently there is a dull, rather severe pain in the right internal meatus ( 12 ), 1.
- Boring pain in the right ear; sharp pain in the temples, worse in the left; pain in the lumbar region, and in the anterior portion of the right thigh; chilly feeling over the entire body; skin is sensitive to contact with the clothing, which produces a chilly sensation ( 12 ), 2.
- Dull soreness in the right internal ear ( 12 ), (after one hour), 1.
NOSE
- Soreness of the left side of the nose ( 11 ), (after fifty-five minutes), 1. [60.]
- Nose sore inside, and discharging freely, 17.
- The bones of the nose are very sore, especially when pressure in made upon them ( 12 ), (after twenty-five hours and three quarters), 1.
- Irritability of, with discharge of fluid from, the mucous membrane of the nose, with abundant salivation, 4.
FACE
- Objective.
- Paleness of the face, with hot forehead, 18.
- Pale and anxious, 12.
- Face pale, sunken, 14.
- Countenance became pale and emaciated, 15.
- Pale, disfigured countenance (after half an hour), 6.
- Face deathly pale, 19.
- Face livid, 13. [70.]
- Distorted features, 18.
- Twitching and jerking of the facial muscles of the left side, between the eyes and the corner of the mouth, which was very violent ( 2 ), 4.
- Soreness of the bones of the face ( 12 ), 1.
- Soreness of the bones of the right side of the face ( 12 ), 1.
- Lips.
- Lips of a bluish tinge, 12.
- Chin.
- Intermittent and throbbing pain in the right half of the inferior maxillary bone ( 12 ), (after one hour), 1.
MOUTH
- Teeth.
- Pain in the right upper and left lower molars, 2.
- Shooting pain in the upper molars of the left side, extending upward into the superior maxillary bone ( 12 ), 4.
- Twitches of pain in the right upper posterior and left lower posterior molars, more protracted in the former, but more acute in the latter ( 3 ), 2.
- Gums.
- Tenderness of the gums, 16, 17.
- Tongue. [80.]
- Tongue white, 17.
- Tongue much coated ( 2 ), 4.
- The back part of the tongue is very thickly coated ( 2 ), 4.
- White coating on the tongue ( 2 ), 4.
- Tongue coated white ( 2 ), 4.
- Tongue heavily coated brownish-white ( 2 ), 4.
- Tongue tremulous, covered with mucus, 14.
- Peculiar tremulousness and coolness of the tongue ( 2 ), 4.
- Taste.
- Taste bitter, 14.
- Metallic taste ( 2 ), 4 .; ( 12 ), 2.
- Speech. [90.]
- Difficulty of speech (after over an hour), 10.
THROAT
- Burning, extending from the stomach along the œsophagus to the mouth, 14.
- Rolling about the floor in intense pain, which she described as burning her throat and bowels (over an hour), 10.
- Soreness of the throat, 16.
- Child refused to take anything, probably from the inability of deglutition, 15.
STOMACH
- Appetite.
- Did not taste food with usual relish for a few days, 13.
- Loss of appetite, 16, 17.
- No appetite ( 2 ), 4.
- No desire for warm food, cold is better relished ( 3 ), 2, 4.
- Thirst.
- Thirst, 16. [100.]
- Much thirst, 17.
- Great thirst, 18.
- Urgent and distressing thirst, 12.
- Intense thirst, 19.
- Violent thirst (after half an hour), 6.
- Thirst , which is unusual for me; have a desire now for water cold several times a day; a wineglassful suffices each time ( 3 ), 2.
- The thirst continued for several weeks after taking the last medicine, 2.
- Eructations.
- Much eructation of wind ( 2 ).
- Nausea and Vomiting.
- Nausea in the evening, with lameness of the back ( 3 ), 2.
- Nausea on awaking, with bitter taste ( 3 ), 2. [110.]
- *Nausea, burning headache between the temples.
- Nausea and vomiting, 8.
- Nausea, with burning pain in the stomach and bowels; palpitation of the heart, with trembling of the limbs; headache, particularly in the forehead, but the entire head feels bruised; jerking in the limbs (cured by 6th and 12th).
- Slight nausea and a little unsteadiness of the head, particularly after studying ( 6 ), 2.
- Constant nausea, 16.
- Violent nausea, 12.
- Suddenly seized with violent sickness, and vomiting of a light-green substance like bile diluted with water. They both continued vomiting the same green fluid every ten or fifteen minutes during the day, until what they brought up appeared to be clear bile, mixed with the water they had constantly been taking in copious draughts, .
ABDOMEN
- Objective.
- Squeezed his abdomen with both hands (after half an hour), 6.
- Distension of abdomen (after over an hour), 10.
- The whole abdomen meteoric, very painful to touch, but especially over the region of the liver, 14.
- Abdomen hard, 18.
- Rumbling in the bowels; sharp quick pains in the lower bowels ( 2 ), 4.
- Abdomen flatulent, without being painful, 15.
- Subjective.
- Pain in bowels, followed by copious but natural stools, after which the pains abated, 19. [140.]
- Violent pains in abdomen, 13.
- There has been a constant unpleasant warmth in the abdomen since taking the medicine, and which sometimes becomes a severe burning ( 12 ), (after twenty-five hours and a half), 1.
- Very severe cramps of muscles of abdomen and lower extremities (after over an hour), 10.
- Natural stools, after which he had severe dull pains of a griping character, with a slight burning in the abdomen ( 12 ), (after nineteen hours and a quarter), 1.
- Pains in the abdomen, sharp and cutting, which afterwards subside into a dull soreness, followed by an unpleasant warmth in the abdomen, and a severe burning in the stomach ( 12 ), (after one hour and a half), 1.
- Pains in the abdomen simulating those of flatulent colic ( 12 ), 1.
- Pains in the hypogastrium (after half an hour), 6.
STOOL
- Diarrhœa.
- Diarrhœa (after half an hour), 6.
- Diarrhœa occasionally, 16.
- Copious diarrhœa, at the end of which the child recovered, 15. [150.]
- Violent purging, 9.
- Bowels very much relaxed for eight or ten days, sometimes acting six times daily, 17.
- Two diarrhœic stools in half an hour, 12.
- Constipation.
- Constipation, ( 2 ), 4.
URINARY ORGANS
- Urethra.
- A gonorrhœa, of which he supposed himself cured (and form which he had been entirely free for six months), returned with the following symptoms: Dark-red urine; burning pain at the orifice of the urethra during and after urinating; white purulent discharge from the urethra; soreness of the penis, with pain in the prostate gland; redness of the lips of the urethra, with tingling and burning; agglutination of the lips of the urethra; perspiration of the scrotum, which is constantly moist and damp; soreness of the under surface of the penis when pressed ( 12 ), 7.
- Micturition.
- Urine scanty, orange-colored, 14.
- Urine.
- The urine had a slight odor of garlic ( 3 ), 2.
- In the afternoon the urine had a strong odor like that of garlic ( 6 ), 2.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
- Voice.
- Voice altered, 14.
- Respiration.
- Bad breath ( 2 ), 4. [160.]
- Respiration short and oppressed, 14.
CHEST
- Oppressed feeling about the chest during the past few days; it feels as if it were constricted ( 2 ), 4.
- Sense of weight on the chest and difficulty of breathing, 17.
- Dull soreness in the right side of the chest, with dull pains in the back ( 11 ), (after two hours and a quarter), 1.
- Pains in chest and back aggravated by deep inspirations.
HEART AND PULSE
- Heart's Action.
- Pulsation of the heart moving the wall of the chest up and down, 14.
- Pulse.
- Pulse more frequent, 15.
- Pulse small, rapid, very irritable, 18.
- Pulse small, weak, rapid, 110, 14.
- Pulse extremely feeble and rapid, 12. [170.]
- Pulse feeble, 13.
- Pulse faltering at wrist, 19.
NECK AND BACK
- Neck.
- Moving the head aggravates the pain in the neck.
- *Lameness of the back ( 3 ), 2.
- Stiff lame feeling in the back, which was better until after moving about, and returned after sitting awhile ( 3 ), 2.
- Moving about aggravates the stiffness and lameness of the back, which had been better during rest; it returned after sitting awhile, 2.
- Dorsal.
- Severe pain under the lower angle of the left scapula, worse when moving or breathing; cannot take a full breath without aggravating the pain ( 2 ), 4.
- Soreness of a small spot in the left scapula, extending into the left lung, followed by a dull sticking pain in the left chest, between the sixth and seventh ribs, somewhat aggravated by deep inspirations, with a weak numb feeling in the left chest, left side of the back, left shoulder, and arm ( 12 ), (after fifteen minutes), 1.
- Lumbar.
- Lameness of the lumbar region, 2.
- Pain in the right lumbar region, and in the anterior portion of the right thigh, 2.
EXTREMITIES IN GENERAL. [180.]
- Spasms in the extremities, 11.
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Constantly moving the arms up and down and from side to side, with trembling of the fingers, 14.
- Shoulder.
- Numb, weak feeling in the left shoulder and arm ( 12 ), (after fifteen minutes), 1.
- Forearm.
- The left arm feels numb and powerless, and a similar sensation soon afterwards appeared in the left leg ( 12 ), 1.
- Peculiar numb feeling in te left arm and hand, with pain in the internal surface of the arm, and tingling of the palm of the hand and of the fingers, increased by motion, and continuing one hour ( 2 ), (after twenty-five minutes), 1.
- Hands.
- The hands, especially the palms and the roots of the nails, were stained of a greenish-yellow color, 17.
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
- White walking, the limbs ache; his gait is unsteady, and the debility is increased ( 12 ), (after two hours), 1.
- Pain in the anterior portion of the right thigh, 2.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS
- Objective.
- Weakness, 17.
- Debility ( 2 ), 4. [190.]
- General debility, want of energy, and indisposition to do anything ( 12 ), 1.
- Considerable debility, 8.
- Sudden debility, with dull pain in the heart, and sensation of oppression around that organ; the left chest feels too small; he takes long involuntary inspirations; there is an empty feeling in the stomach, with vertigo, confusion of ideas, and headache between the temples ( 12 ), (after thirty-five minutes), 1.
- Complete prostration, 15.
- Extreme prostration, 12.
- Restless, with anxiety about his life, 14.
- Very restless; nervous (or rather nerveless), ( 2 ), 4.
- Much more nervous than formerly, 16.
- Highly nervous, 17.
- Subjective.
- Feeling of weakness ( 12 ), 2. [200.]
- Began almost immediately to feel ill, 16.
- Felt better after awaking, 2.
SKIN
- Objective.
- The skin of the palms of the hands is of a yellowish-green color, being stained with the green dye, 16.
- Eruptions, Dry.
- An eruption appeared four or five days after beginning to use the pigment. It began in the form of greenish pimples over the hands and face; these bursting, left holes having eroded edges. Has also eruptions on the scrotum and groins. The eruption entirely disappeared in two or three months after leaving off the use of the emerald green, 16.
- Eruptions, Moist.
- Vesicular and pustulous eruptions, sometimes followed by very painful ulcers, and finally by erythematous swellings, 7.
- Eruptions, Pustular.
- Pustular tumors on the wrists and ankles, and excessive sensitiveness and irritability of the skin, 7.
- Sores broke out in various parts of the body; on the hands, forehead, behind the ears, at the roots of the nails, and on the scrotum, the sores presenting a dark and very unhealthy appearance (after fourteen days), 17.
- Subjective.
- Skin is sensitive to contact with clothing, which produces a chilly creeping sensation ( 3 ), 2.
- A chronic itching, which has been a little annoying at times, is materially aggravated; it is felt only in the arms and legs ( 9 ), 2.
- The itching of the arms and legs very much increased; small thickly studded elevations, which bleed after scratching; scratching aggravates to such a degree as to be almost unbearable ( 3 ), 2.
- The itching of the arms and legs has been so persistent during the day, but more particularly when undressing at night, and often when in bed, that nothing but severe rubbing with a hard, coarse, prickly instrument, tearing off the cuticle, and converting the itching into a soreness, would give the slightest relief, 2. [210.]
- This chronic itching of the skin, but only in a slight degree, I have, at times, experienced as long as I can remember, but never was such raking necessary to allay the itching, which was intolerable without it, 2.
- The itching is very severe in the evening, and often when in bed, .
SLEEP
FEVER
- Chilliness.
- Skin cold, 15.
- Chilliness all over the body ( 11 ), 1.
- Chilly feeling over the entire body ( 3 ), 2.
- Chilly, creeping sensation, produced by the contact of the clothing ( 3 ), 2.
- Remained cold and drowsy for eight hours, vomiting at intervals, 12. [220.]
- Extremities cold, 13.
- Extremities very cold, 12.
- Feet and legs gradually becoming cold, 19.
- Heat.
- Generally increased temperature of the skin, 18.
- Sweat.
- Covered with a cold clammy perspiration (after an hour), 10.
CONDITIONS
- Aggravation.
- ( Morning ), After waking, dulness, etc., of head.
- ( Evening ), After retiring to rest, headache, etc.; itching of scalp; itching of limbs.
- ( Night ), Itching of scalp; when undressing, and often in bed, itching of limbs.
- ( Motion ), The symptoms; headache ; stiffness, etc., in back; pain under scapula; feeling on arm, etc.
- ( Scratching ), Itching of limbs.
- ( After stools ), Pains in abdomen.
- ( Studying ), Nausea, etc.
- Amelioration.
- ( Forenoon ), All symptoms.
- ( Rest ), The symptoms; headache.
- ( Walking and talking in open air ), Distensive sensation in brain.
SUPPLEMENT: CUPRUM ARSENICOSUM. Authorities.
20 , (Berridge), Echo du Monde Savant (Med. Times, 1840, vol. ii, 141), five persons drank water impregnated with Cup. ars; 21 , (Berridge), Dr. Mitchell, Dublin Med. Press, 1843, vol. ix, p. 52, fifteen children ate sweetmeats colored with Ars. and Cu.; 22 , omitted; 23 , (Berridge), Scheele's green, from Encyclop. des Sci. Méd. (Am. J. of M. S., 1846, vol. xi, p. 252); 24 , (Berridge), Dr. Prosper de Pietra Santa, L'Union Med., Sept., 1858 (Edin b. Med Journ., 1860, vol. v, p. 961), diseases of workers in Schweinfurt's green; 25 , (Berridge), Dr. S. Griswold, N. Y. Journ. of Med., 1858, vol. v, p. 64, J. F., æt. thirteen years, was engaged in making paper in which Scheele's green was used; 26 , (Berridge), Dr. H. Cooper Rose, Lancet, 1859 (1), p. 237, poisoning of a child, æt. nine months; 27 , omitted; 28 , (Berridge), Dr. W. G. Blogg, Lancet, 1860 (2), p. 596, effects on wokmen in Scheele's green; 29 , (Berridge), Dr. Hassal, Lancet, 1860 (2), p. 535, effect on manufacturers of Scheele's green; 30 , ibid., effect on a man, æt. forty-five years; 31 , ibid., effect on a man, æt. twenty-seven years; 32 , (Berridge), Dr. J. B. Metcalfe, Lancet, 1860 (2), p. 535, case of poisoning; 33 , (Berridge), Dr. Wintrebert, Bull. Méd. du Nord. (Lancet, 1873 (2), p. 49), effect of local use of green paper; 34 , (Berridge), Kittel, Allg. Wiener Zeit. (Lancet, 1873 (1), p. 174), conjunctivitis due to Schweinfurt's green; 35 , Joseph Farrar, Brit. Med. Journ., Jan. 6th, 1877, a man, æt. twenty-two years, was in the habit of holding his paint brushes between his teeth, and neglected to wash his hands before eating.
MIND
- Nervousness, 29.
- Extreme depression of spirits, 20.
- Constant feeble moaning, 25.
- Semicomatose state, 32.
- Lying on back in bed, partially comatose, writhing and twisting himself from side to side, but so prostrated in strength as to be unable to rise or sit up, 25.
HEAD. [230.]
- Headache, 29.
EYE
- Eyes sunken, 25.
- Eyes dim and glassy, 23.
- Œdema about eyes, 29.
- Eyes swollen, in morning, 31.
- Several girls who worked with it were affected. It generally began with an intense pain in the eyes and photophobia. Acute catarrh then followed, accompanied by redness and desquamation of internal surface of eyelids. In some cases there was to be seen on the papillary body of the lower lid a small round grayish patch, which stuck to the surface, and on being removed caused slight hæmorrhage. The conjunctiva of the upper eyelid never presented this appearance. The inflammatory process caused some thickening of the conjunctiva, and consequently some swelling of the lid. There generally existed at the same time various inflammatory lesions round alæ nasi, 34.
- Eyelids somewhat red and puffy, 35.
NOSE
FACE
- Paleness of the face, 35. [240.]
- Countenance had a peculiarly pale grayish appearance, 25.
- Pinched features, 35.
- Convulsive twitchings of facial muscles, 32.
- Lips and nose swollen to double their natural size, 28.
MOUTH
- Gums tender, 31.
- Tongue white, 31.
- Tongue raw-looking, with portions of its upper surface denuded of epithelium, sore to the touch, and somewhat enlarged in size, 35.
THROAT
- Soreness of throat and gums, 29.
STOMACH
- Loss of appetite, 29.
- Violent vomiting and purging during the previous half hour. He was now cold and clammy to touch, the pulse not perceptible at the wrist, and with all the symptoms of collapse, 26. [250.]
- Vomited severely a green slimy substance mixed with solid material for upwards of an hour, 21.
- Vomiting and purging, accompanied by pain in the abdomen of a colicky character, and so severe as to be best expressed by the word excruciating, 35.
- Painful digestion, 20.
ABDOMEN
ANUS
- Ulcerations of anus, 33.
STOOL
- Severe dysentery, 32.
- Stools passed involuntarily, watery, bilious, and very offensive, 32.
- Purgings, passed about two quarts of thin, yellow fæces, 25.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
- Breathing imperfect and irregular, being short and quick, and more slow and gasping, by turns, 25.
CHEST. [260.]
- Weight on chest and difficult breathing, 31.
- Pain, especially on making pressure on lower part of sternum, 23.
- Pain in chest and crepitation therein, 23.
PULSE
- Great weakness and quickness of pulse (120), 35.
- Pulse very feeble and irregular; for a second or two it would be a succession of minute thrills, so small as to be scarcely perceived, and too rapid to be counted, and then would follow two or three more perfect pulsations, 23.
- Total imperceptibility of the pulse, 21.
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Swelling and numbness of legs, 20.
GENERALITIES
- Convulsions, 32.
- Alternations of repose and convulsions (amounting sometimes to perfect opisthotonos), 32.
- Completely collapsed, 21. [270.]
- Universal lassitude, 20.
- Debility, 29.
- Faintness, 35.
SKIN
- Three had jaundice fore more than a fortnight, 21.
- Cloudy purpuric condition of skin, especially marked on anterior surface of the thighs, 25.
- Eruption began in four or five days in the form of greenish pimples on hands an face; these bursting left holes having eroded edges. Also eruptions on scrotum and groins, 30.
- Ugly-looking sores on hands, face, and neck, and other parts to which the poison finds access, 29.
- Sores on various parts of the body, presenting a dark and very unhealthy appearance, 31.
- Vesicles, pustules, plaques muqueuses , and ulcerations of the parts exposed to the poison (fingers, toes, genitals, and especially scrotum), 24.
- The external application causes pustular eruptions on the skin, catarrh, and a painful swelling of scrotum, preceded by a puffiness of the countenance. The internal inhalation causes bloody stools, vomiting, cramps, and delirium, 23.
SLEEP. [280.]
- Sleep disturbed and unrefreshing, 31.