MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS.
Cases of Poisoning with Lucifer Matches. By C. Trenerry, Esq.,
Surgeon of the Civil Hospital, Gibraltar, and Corresponding Member of
the Surgical Society of Ireland.—Three cases, within a very short period,
wherein Lucifer matches were swallowed for the purpose of self destruc-
tion, have presented themselves to my observation. Two of them proved
fatal; the third recovered.
The history of two of these cases may be related in a few words: one,
a young Spanish lady, resorted to the expedient from disappointment:
the other was a Spanish widow, mother of three children, who, having
committed herself with a young man, aged 18, hoped by taking the
poisonous substance, to induce him to marry her. The contents of the
stomach were dislodged, and she recovered.
The third case was that of a native of this garrison, aged 22, who
was engaged to be married, but unfortunately too close an intimacy with
her lover prior to this rash act exhibited itself, she being in the seventh
month of pregnancy. Her aunt states that at no time were the symp-
toms very urgent, nor is it known when the matches were swallowed.
The deceased first complained of pain in the stomach at 5, A. M, on
Tuesday, the 17th of May, 1853, for which some “ Yerba Louisa” tea
was given, which relieved her. At 8, A. M., she reluctantly partook of
an egg and tea for breakfast, and at eleven o’clock had some broth, but
could not bear the sight of bread. During the day she complained of
thirst and giddiness : in the evening took tea and went to bed. The
next morning, the 18th, about 6, A. M., still suffering from pain and
giddiness, her aunt gave her a dose of castor oil, which she ejected im-
mediately, and frequent vomiting supervened during the day. An enema
of the decoction of marsh mallows and olive oil was administered, which
afforded temporary relief. In the evening, she confessed that she had
taken two boxes of Lucifer matches, containing about one hundred. A
medical man was immediately consulted, who ordered an emetic and
olive oil, which she said relieved her very much • but vertigo, vomiting,
intense thirst, slight convulsions, and syncope, followed in rapid succes-
sion, and after midnight she became insensible, and expired at 6, A. M.
on the 19th. The following day, at noon, I made a post-mortem exa-
mination, and noted the following: Body well formed, but of short
stature. Face has a distorted and dirty appearance from irregular
patches of congestion. Globe of the eyes very prominent; cornea of a
dry and dull appearance; pupils dilated, and blood oozing from the nos-
trils. Livid spots about the lips, gums and tongue. Upper part of
chest and shoulders quite green and emphysematous from decomposition.
Breasts plump, and nipples marked by darkish areola and papilla?. Ab-
domen distended and tympanitic, but no appearance of decomposition,
except in the fold of the groins. Vagina plugged by a dark coagulum
of blood, the os uteri dilated to about the size of a shilling, and the head
of a child pressed against it, as if labor had commenced prior to death.
Dark feculent, or tarry-looking matter escaping from the anus. Finger
nails livid, as also back part of the anus and depending parts of the sides
of the body, and in some parts it is quite green. Lower extremities pale
and chloritic-looking; the calf of left leg being hard and globular, as if
affected with cramp. Gas escaped with a hissing noise from the aper-
tures made by the saw in opening the skull. Dura mater dry and glis-
tening ; substance of brain so much softened as to prevent the usual
examination. Ventricles very dry. Cerebellum, a perfect pulpy or cus-
tard-like mass. The encephalon throughout of a dirty cream color.
Pectoral muscles soft, and easily torn. Lungs dark-colored, but crepi-
tant; their posterior portion congested, as is usually observed after
death. -Pericardium contained about two ounces of dark bloody serum.
Heart pale and flabby; auricles and ventricles empty. Abdominal vis-
cera had a dull appearance. Stomach greatly distended with gas; its
external surface healthy-looking. Small intestines collapsed; large in-
testines not so distended as is usually seen. Anterior surface of liver
pale. Gall-bladder empty. Spleen very dark-colored. Uterus con-
tained a well-formed but dead female feetus, of about seven or eight
months, floating in the liquor amnii, the membranes being unbroken.
The cellular tissue and depending or posterior portions of the liver, pan-
creas, spleen, and kidneys, unusually congested, amounting almost to
extravasation of blood. The pharyngeal and cardiac end of the oeso-
phagus of a dark or bruised color; the canal appears contracted and
the mucous membrane dry, one rounded carbonacious head of a match
adhering to its surface. Stomach contained about four ounces of a dark,
unctuous treackly-looking fluid. The mucous-membrane of a whitey-
brown color, and the cardiac or larger end thickly vesicated, as if
scalded ; the middle portion retained its rugous appearance, although
much thicker and paler than usual. The pylorous quite smooth, pale,
and thickened, as also the mucous membrane of duodenum, which, with
about three feet of the jejunum, contained a similar black-looking fluid
as the stomach. The remaining portion of small intestines were merely
lined with a creamy feculent substance interspersed with patches of
greenish or bilious matter.—Dublin Medical Press.
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