Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1869 — The Potato Bug and its Poison. [ARTICLE]

The Potato Bug and its Poison.

At a recont meeting of the Cook County (ill.) Homo- ipathic society, Dr. E. M. Hale read an interesting essay on the potato bug, giving a description of the insect, its habits, poison, and the antidotes. The doctor states that there are ten diflerent species of potato bugs, of which the " Colorado ” bug is most numerous and to be dreaded. In regard to the poison of this bug, and its effects, Dr. Hale says : Persons have been poisoned by this bug in various ways, namely : 1. By inhaling the fumes from the insects when placed in hot water : 2. Ity inhaling the fumes froiq, them when the bugs have been placed in pans and subjected to the action of dry heat. 3. From bruising them between the fingers or in the palms of the hands. The Colorado bug is peculiarly tenacious of lifts. They will live after being subjected to an amount of heat that would kill most insects. It is this tenacity otlife that makes the bug a greater annoyance to the agriculturist, and lias obliged him to retort to various severe expedients to destroy them after he lias collected them from the plants. From time to time the newspapers have contained cases of poisoning by this inscet, but many of the instances were doubtless exaggerations. One peculiarity, however, was noticed, that in all the cases the ill results occurred front killing the bugs by one of the methods just mentioned. Another peculiarity is, that the various reports do not mention any such results as local vesication from an application of this species. In the Canthoris and Lyon, and other blistering insects, the poison, doubtless, resides in the external portions of the insect, as their mere application without bruising will cause vesication. But the poison of the Doryghora appears to reside in the fluids of its body, which fluid, when volatilized by heat of as great or greater degree, is absorbed by the system, and results in a general blood poisoning. No experiments have yet been made to ascertain whether general poisoning Would result from inserting the liquid portions of the insect into the blood. Perhaps the cases of poisoning from bruising the bug in the hands may have resulted from inoculation, for the hands of hard-working laborers are very apt, to be covered with fissures or abrasions

It has been already intimated that it is more than probable that this virulent poison acts upon tne blood- In this respect it is probably analogous to the serpent poisons, as well as the results of poisoning by spiders, scorpions and the bee. Under its influence the blood becomes disorganized, a septic condition obtains, and inflammation of a low grade, simulating erysipelas, results. Dr. Hale also gave several cases of poisoning by this insect, of which one is as follows: “ A man picked the bugs from the vines and killed them by crushing them between the lingers. He did not wash his hands afterward. He was attacked in a few hours with a violent fever, bloated face, delirium, eyes protruding, pulse 123. These symptoms lasted from 9 a. m. to 11 p. m , when the whole body began to swell; the hands and feet became cold ; the pulse became weak; an irresistible stupor came on, with loud rumbling in the abdomen. At 2a. m. he awoke and vomited a brown dirty matter for a quarter of an hour, after which he fell back and expired. A post mortem examination revealed a dark congested spleen, the brain congested, and an uncoagulatcd state of the blood.”

The mode of treatment which the doctor suggests, is the following: “If the patient is seen as soon as it is known that the poison has been absorbed by any crack or abrasion, the part should be thoroughly washed with strong soap and water (using the common washing soap.) and afterward a solution of bromine should be applied to the poisoned portion, if the violent symptoms of cerebral excitement set in, the bromide of potassium should be given in the usual medicinal doses for a time, when if the condition do not improve, give lachesis, belladonna, apis, acoDite, or stramonium, as the case seems to demand. Several physicians have found baptsiea and lachesis in alternation, to act beneficially in severe cases. “As a local application to the enormous local swelling which occurs, there is probably nothing better than the extract of hamamelis; a weak solution of the spirits of ammonia, or a lotion of aconite, arnica, or veratrum viride. “If Budden and alarming prostration sets in, resoit should be had to ammonia, alcohol in some form, or a preparation of arsenic, given internally. “Jf the acute symptoms subside, and a typbola or, septic, condition obtains, the indications are to treat it in the same manner as we would a case of typhoid from any other cause. “In those cases where the fumes have been inhaled, it is probable that the vapor of bromine, of proper strength, inhaled soon after, would act as an tflicient antidote.”