factories in America.
Prentiss of Washington, D.C., in 1881 reported a remarkable case of
pilocarpin idiosyncrasy in a blonde of twenty-five. He was consulted by
the patient for constipation. Later on symptoms of cystitis developed,
and an ultimate diagnosis of pyelitis of the right kidney was made.
Uremic symptoms were avoided by the constant use of pilocarpin. Between
December 16, 1880, and February 22, 1881, the patient had 22 sweats
from pilocarpin. The action usually lasted from two to six hours, and
quite a large dose was at length necessary. The idiosyncrasy noted was
found in the hair, which at first was quite light, afterward
chestnut-brown, and May 1, 1881, almost pure black. The growth of the
hair became more vigorous and thicker than formerly, and as its color
darkened it became coarser in proportion. In March, 1889, Prentiss saw
his patient, and at that time her hair was dark brown, having returned
to that color from black. Prentiss also reported the following case a
as adding another to the evidence that jaborandi will produce the
effect mentioned under favorable circumstances: Mrs. L., aged
seventy-two years, was suffering from Bright's disease (contracted
kidney). Her hair and eyebrows had been snow-white for twenty years.
She suffered greatly from itching of the skin, due to the uremia of the
kidney-disease; the skin was harsh and dry. For this symptom fluid
extract of jaborandi was prescribed with the effect of relieving the
itching. It was taken in doses of 20 or 30 drops several times a day,
from October, 1886, to February, 1888. During the fall of 1887 it was
noticed by the nurse that the eyebrows were growing darker, and that
the hair of the head was darker in patches. These patches and the
eyebrows continued to become darker, until at the time of her death
they were quite black, the black tufts on the head presenting a very
curious appearance among the silver-white hairs surrounding them.
Quinin being such a universally used drug, numerous instances of
idiosyncrasy and intolerance have been recorded. Chevalier mentions
that through contact of the drug workmen in the manufacture of quinin
are liable to an affection of the skin which manifests itself in a
vesicular, papular, or pustular eruption on different parts of the
body. Vepan mentions a lady who took 1 1/2 grains and afterward 2 1/2
grains of quinin for neuralgia, and two days afterward her body was
covered with purpuric spots, which disa
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