Taxus Baccata

The poisonous properties of the Yew have been recognised and disputed from

ancient times. Gerarde says that in his schooldays he and his companions ate their fill of the

berries of the Yew and slept not only under its shade, but on its branches, without any ill effect.

But there is plenty of evidence on the other side. Recently (Med. Press, May 29, 1901), a patient

of Mullingar Asylum died suddenly from eating Yew leaves. Some years ago a correspondence

in the Times brought to light instances of the lethal effects of Yew leaves on cattle. One

correspondent, Mr. James Simmons, of Haslemere, mentions an observation made by himself

and others, that Yew leaves are more poisonous some time after they have been cut than when

fresh: "Yew cropped green from the tree has no fatal effect," and animals do not eat it fresh, they

prefer grass; but if Yew has been cut and allowed to wither cattle will eat it in large quantities,

and in that state it is deadly poison." "My people," says Mr. Simmons, "once buried some Yew

cuttings deep in the dung of a farmyard; a number of large hogs dug it up, ate it, and all

died."—The symptoms of the pathogenesis are made up of poisonings by leaves and berries, and

also of provings by Gastier. Fainting is a very prominent feature with Tax., and the fatal cases

end in convulsions, collapse, and syncope. Death from Yew poisoning, says Cooper, is

remarkably painless. "Empty feeling" in the stomach was prominent; and it was noted that the

digestion was very rapid. "Must eat frequently" is a characteristic. Gastric catarrh is set up with

vomiting of tenacious mucus. The saliva is increased, and it also is viscid; and there is viscid

sweat. An intense action on the skin was developed, and Tax. is indicated in pustular skin

affections, the pustules being large, flat, and strongly itching. On the suggestion of Cooper, I

once gave a single dose of Tax. @ in a case of aural polypus (bright red) with catarrh, in a youth,

with the result that the polypus shrivelled up to one-third of its former size. The shooting pains in

the toes suggest the use of Tax. in gout. The kidneys and bladder were much irritated; and the

• ▸heart disturbed.
• ▸Tax.
• ▸has been recommended as a substitute for Dig.
• ▸, being considered superior to

the latter in having no cumulative effect. The symptoms were < by pressure. Rubbing > itching

• ▸of eyelids.
• ▸Coughing = headache.
• ▸Deep respiration = cough.
• ▸< Before and after each meal.
• ▸< By

application of liquids. < After coitus.

Pains in the knees, elbows, and back.—Trembling.—Slight tremor over whole

• ▸frame.
• ▸—Convulsions.
• ▸—Faintness.
• ▸—Fainting and collapse.
• ▸—Relaxation of muscles.

Supra-orbital and temporal pain on right side, with lachrymation. Pupils dilated. Face puffy and pale.

Reeling sensation when at rest, on being seated, and when standing

upright.—Headache above eyebrows, with brilliant and movable lines before the sight.—Pains in

forehead, extending to face, with drawing pains in eyes, and lachrymation.—Heavy pain in region

of r. temple and eyebrow, with a sensation of lachrymation, and < from slightest

• ▸cough.
• ▸—Squeezing in sides of head.
• ▸—Aching, esp.
• ▸in temporal bone.
• ▸—Burning

headache.—Lancinating pain in frontal region.—Heat in forehead.

In the eyes: drawing with lachrymation and pressure, and headache below the

• ▸eyebrows.
• ▸—Itching of external angle of 1.
• ▸eye.
• ▸—Burning itching in eyelids, disappearing after

scratching them.—Abundant lachrymation when eyes are used, even but a little, esp. in

females.—Lachrymation of |. eye —Pupils widely dilated —Vision dim.

Round spot of a reddish-brown colour, on the end of nose, with desquamation of skin.

Looks ill.—Face: pale; livid; convulsed.—Lips: purplish; livid; blackish brown, esp.

upper.—Frothing at mouth.

Sensation of coldness in (upper incisor) teeth —Burning pricking on

• ▸tongue.
• ▸—Tongue: excoriated; moist; tremulous.
• ▸—Mouth dry.
• ▸—Saliva: increased; extremely

viscid; acrid.—Bitter taste, like that of Cinchona.

• ▸Saliva hot, acrid.
• ▸Nausea.
• ▸Pain in pit of stomach and region of navel.
• ▸After eating, cough.
• ▸Feeling of pins and needles at pit of stomach; of emptiness, must eat frequently (compare the coniferae).

Violent hunger, soon after breakfast, with general uneasiness, and weakness in

region of stomach.—Frequent want to eat, with activity of digestive functions.—Nausea with

accumulation of saliva—Sensation of emptiness, without hunger, in

• ▸stomach.
• ▸—Retching.
• ▸—Vomiting ending in death.
• ▸—Vomit-tenacious, containing bile; Yew leaves

embedded in mucus.—Pain in pit of stomach, when touched.—Tension in epigastrium, which is

painful to touch.—Aching, burning, and pinching in region of stomach.

Tension in abdomen, as if the stomach were overloaded.—Squeezing and tension

across abdomen.—Aching in umbilical region.—Borborygmi.

Hard, difficult, dry evacuations.—Occasionally a stool which is soft, or of a natural

consistence.—Diarrheea, with insupportable tenesmus, and burning at every evacuation.

Cutting pain at base of kidneys which allows him neither to sit still nor

stand up, and even prevents turning in bed.—Urinary tenesmus.—Frequent want to urinate, with

difficult emission in a fine stream.—Strangury, urine red.

Flow of semen without erection or sexual pleasure for several

successive nights.—Great excitement during coition.—After coition, weakness and great

oppression.

Violent and fatiguing cough.—Short cough, after every meal, excited

by full inspirations, with oppression.

Oppression, esp. when stomach is either too full or too empty, or else with pain

• ▸below xiphoid cartilage.
• ▸-—Lancinating pain in |.
• ▸side—Lungs engorged.
• ▸—Chest full and hot.

Irregular action of heart—Pulse: rapid; slow; feeble; small, wiry; almost

imperceptible.

Drawing pain in muscles of neck (1.).—Sacral pains, which allow no rest

either in a standing or sitting posture, and which compel the patient to remain in bed.—Incisive

pain in sacrum.—Constant pain in back.—Pain in shoulder-blade, which subsequently removes to

loins.

Aching pain in elbow near humerus, affecting the bone, felt during motion

and rest, but < by movement.—Violent itching in forearm, followed by an eruption of red and

hard pimples round wrist, which itch chiefly in evening, and at night, and afterwards occasion a

• ▸tickling sensation.
• ▸—Lancinations in hand.
• ▸—Burning dryness of palms of hands.
• ▸—Dull pain in

joints of fingers —Rheumatic pain in, r. forefinger, renewed by least contact with even warm

liquid.

Pain in hip and knee, with tearing pain and coldness in thigh; > at

• ▸night.
• ▸—Pain in |.
• ▸hip, with internal heat —In thighs, distressing coldness of skin, esp.
• ▸of fore-

• ▸part.
• ▸—Tingling in |.
• ▸thigh.
• ▸—Painful tingling round patella—Lancinating pain in knee, with

• ▸weakness of the joint.
• ▸—Abscess at r.
• ▸knee.
• ▸—Contusive and incisive pain, which hinders

• ▸walking.
• ▸—Incisive pain, esp.
• ▸in I.
• ▸knee, which awakens patient at night—Violent pinching in I.

calf, with itching in a small circumscribed place —Large suggillation on sole of |. foot.—Tingling

crawling sensation in whole 1. foot.

• ▸Large, flat, itching pustules.
• ▸Badly smelling night-sweats.
• ▸Podagra.
• ▸Erysipelas.

• ▸All hairy parts became denuded (after a month).
• ▸—Black jaundice.
• ▸—Skin red.
• ▸—Body

covered with pustules.—On waking, body covered with miliary eruption; disappeared on third

day and abscess formed at right knee.—Large suggillation on 1. sole followed by dark petechize

over nearly whole body, great swelling of face and lips, esp. upper lip, exhaustion and death (boy

5, poisoned by berries).—Eruption of large pimples, slightly elevated, like red spots, on the upper

part of both arms.—Dry tetter, red at the base; and causing much itching, at external angle of 1.

eye.

Commencing with general shivering at 2 a.m., followed by dry heat of hands and

feet, and general uneasiness, dryness of mouth, without thirst, afterwards profuse perspiration on

forehead; shaking after breakfast, with general uneasiness, and dryness of mouth, without

thirst—Perspiration attends the least exertion, with great prostration of strength. Profuse night-

sweats.—Offensive viscid sweats, with smart itching and redness in the glandular parts at the

surface of the body.—Peculiarly offensive sweat with eruption of vesicles.

• ▸Ciliary neuralgia.
• ▸Cystitis.
• ▸Digestion, too rapid.
• ▸Dysuria.
• ▸Ear, polypus of.
• ▸Eruptions.

• ▸Fainting.
• ▸Gout.
• ▸Hair, falling out.
• ▸Headache, with photopsia.
• ▸Heart, affections of.
• ▸Kidneys,

• ▸affections of.
• ▸Knees, abscess of.
• ▸Lachrymation.
• ▸Nose, eruption on.
• ▸Rheumatism.
• ▸Purpura.

Spermatorrhcea. Strangury. Vision, dim.

Antidoted by: Staph (prostration with oppression after an embrace). Compare: The

• ▸Coniferze.
• ▸Load at stomach, Ab.
• ▸n.
• ▸Rapid digestion, Sul.
• ▸Podagra, Urt.
• ▸ur.

Tincture, to third potency.

Numbness of limbs and paralysis; esp. after several sweats.—Sharp, transient,

wandering pains.