[Illustration]
This is a tree of some height, the trunk and branches of which are
covered with a thick, brownish and reticulate bark. Leaves alternate,
oblong, cordate, rather tomentose on their lower surface, and supported
by short petioles. Flowers in tufted panicles, ramose, arising from
the axil of the leaves or the extremities of the branches; they are
dioïchous, with a simple, urceolate perigone having three divisions.
Male flowers with six stamens, the filaments of which are attached to
each other, and are inserted in a glandular disk. The female flowers are
smaller, one unilocular, ovary, style wanting, stygma bilobed. Capsular
berry, with two valves, containing an oleaginous seed, surrounded by an
aril crenated above. This tree is found in the provinces of Para and
Rio-Negro. We use the red juice which is acrid and very poisonous and is
obtained by cutting into the bark.
_First day._—1. Vertigo from right to left, on waking in the morning.
Difficulty of swallowing the saliva. Constriction of the isthmus of the
pharynx; this pain increases progressively. Pain and pressure from within
outwards at the right frontal eminence. 5. This pain intermits now and
then and is less in the open air. Pain in the finger-nails, with swelling
of the phalanxes. Painful pinching in the right calf.
_Second day._—He is unable to fall asleep in the evening, in bed.
Confused dreams about houses which one is building, commencing at the
upper stories. 10. The buccal cavity, the tonsils and the upper part of
the pharynx are painful to contact, the soup, when chewing or swallowing
it, seems to make these parts sore. Burning sensation in the throat. The
urine is discharged less frequently. Dizziness, in the morning. He is
indifferent and careless in regard to his business. 15. Sensation as if
a foreign body, of the size of a walnut, had lodged in the interior of
the left inguinal region, the whole morning. The face is highly colored.
Tingling in the left thumb-joint. Stiff hands as from squeezing something
in one’s hands for a long time. Pain in the left hand; thirst. 20. He
swallows his saliva with less pain and more ease. The urine is scanty
and discharged less frequently, though he has drank a good deal; it is
of a reddish yellow. The pains in the hands increase when the hands are
joined. He is in the habit of drinking two tumblers of water before going
to bed, and he urinates immediately afterwards; on the second day he
drinks in the evening, but does not urinate. Pinching at the right side
of the neck.
_Third day._—25. Restless sleep, he dreams about violent quarrels. Marked
copper-taste in the mouth, followed by spitting of blood for 20 minutes.
No urine since 5 o’clock in the evening, on the second day. Since 4 in
the afternoon he has been unable to fix his mind upon any one point; he
continually repeats in his mind a tune, which irritates him, and of which
he cannot rid himself. The whole mouth is painful. 30. Two pimples on the
left cheek, they disappear in an hour.
_Fourth day._—At night, hard pressure in the sides of the thorax, though
this does not hinder the breathing. Restless sleep, with dreams about
occupations that are entirely different from his ordinary business;
afterwards dreams about disputes. Tongue white-coated and cracked. His
head feels heavy. 35. Stools mixed with yellow mucus. Bitter mouth.
Palate insensible, with loss of taste.
_Fifth day._—Restless sleep. Violent starting during sleep. 40. Pain at
the frontal eminence, at noon. He is unable to concentrate his attention
on one object, though he has important business to attend to.