按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
uld not eat almonds without a scarlet rash immediately appearing upon the face。 Marcellus Donatus knew a young man who could not eat an egg without his lips swelling and purple spots appearing on his face。 Smetius mentions a person in whom the ingestion of fried eggs was often followed by syncope。 Brunton has seen a case of violent vomiting and purging after the slightest bit of egg。 On one occasion this person was induced to eat a small morsel of cake on the statement that it contained no egg； and； although fully believing the words of his host； he subsequently developed prominent symptoms； due to the trace of egg that was really in the cake。 A letter from a distinguished litterateur to Sir Morell Mackenzie gives a striking example of the idiosyncrasy to eggs transmitted through four generations。 Being from such a reliable source； it has been deemed advisable to quote the account in full： 〃My daughter tells me that you are interested in the ill…effects which the eating of eggs has upon her； upon me； and upon my father before us。 I believe my grandfather； as well as my father； could not eat eggs with impunity。 As to my father himself； he is nearly eighty years old； he has not touched an egg since he was a young man； he can； therefore； give no precise or reliable account of the symptoms the eating of eggs produce in him。 But it was not the mere 'stomach…ache' that ensued； but much more immediate and alarming disturbances。 As for me； the peculiarity was discovered when I was a spoon…fed child。 On several occasions it was noticed （that is my mother's account） that I felt ill without apparent cause； afterward it was recollected that a small part of a yolk of an egg had been given to me。 Eclaircissement came immediately after taking a single spoonful of egg。 I fell into such an alarming state that the doctor was sent for。 The effect seems to have been just the same that it produces upon my daughter now；something that suggested brain…congestion and convulsions。 From time to time； as a boy and a young man； I have eaten an egg by way of trying it again； but always with the same resulta feeling that I had been poisoned； and yet all the while I liked eggs。 Then I never touched them for years。 Later I tried again； and I find the ill…effects are gradually wearing off。 With my daughter it is different； she； I think； becomes more susceptible as time goes on； and the effect upon her is more violent than in my case at any time。 Sometimes an egg has been put with coffee unknown to her； and she has been seen immediately afterward with her face alarmingly changedeyes swollen and wild； the face crimson； the look of apoplexy。 This is her own account： 'An egg in any form causes within a few minutes great uneasiness and restlessness； the throat becomes contracted and painful； the face crimson； and the veins swollen。 These symptoms have been so severe as to suggest that serious consequences might follow。' To this I may add that in her experience and my own； the newer the egg； the worse the consequences。〃
Hutchinson speaks of a Member of Parliament who had an idiosyncrasy as regards parsley。 After the ingestion of this herb in food he always had alarming attacks of sickness and pain in the abdomen； attended by swelling of the tongue and lips and lividity of the face。 This same man could not take the smallest quantity of honey； and certain kinds of fruit always poisoned him。 There was a collection of instances of idiosyncrasy in the British Medical Journal； 1859； which will be briefly given in the following lines： One patient could not eat rice in any shape without extreme distress。 From the description given of his symptoms； spasmodic asthma seemed to be the cause of his discomfort。 On one occasion when at a dinner…party he felt the symptoms of rice…poisoning come on； and； although he had partaken of no dish ostensibly containing rice； was； as usual； obliged to retire from the table。 Upon investigation it appeared that some white soup with which he had commenced his meal had been thickened with ground rice。 As in the preceding case there was another gentleman who could not eat rice without a sense of suffocation。 On one occasion he took lunch with a friend in chambers； partaking only of simple bread and cheese and bottled beer。 On being seized with the usual symptoms of rice…poisoning he informed his friend of his peculiarity of constitution； and the symptoms were explained by the fact that a few grains of rice had been put into each bottle of beer for the purpose of exciting a secondary fermentation。 The same author speaks of a gentleman under treatment for stricture who could not eat figs without experiencing the most unpleasant formication of the palate and fauces。 The fine dust from split peas caused the same sensation； accompanied with running at the nose； it was found that the father of the patient suffered from hay…fever in certain seasons。 He also says a certain young lady after eating eggs suffered from swelling of the tongue and throat； accompanied by 〃alarming illness；〃 and there is recorded in the same paragraph a history of another young girl in whom the ingestion of honey； and especially honey…comb； produced swelling of the tongue； frothing of the mouth； and blueness of the fingers。 The authors know of a gentleman in whom sneezing is provoked on the ingestion of chocolate in any form。 There was another instancein a member of the medical professionwho suffered from urticaria after eating veal。 Veal has the reputation of being particularly indigestible； and the foregoing instance of the production of urticaria from its use is doubtless not an uncommon one。
Overton cites a striking case of constitutional peculiarity or idiosyncrasy in which wheat flour in any form； the staff of life； an article hourly prayed for by all Christian nations as the first and most indispensable of earthly blessings； proved to one unfortunate individual a prompt and dreadful poison。 The patient's name was David Waller； and he was born in Pittsylvania County； Va。； about the year 1780。 He was the eighth child of his parents； and； together with all his brothers and sisters； was stout and healthy。 At the time of observation Waller was about fifty years of age。 He had dark hair； gray eyes； dark complexion； was of bilious and irascible temperament； well formed； muscular and strong； and in all respects healthy as any man； with the single exception of his peculiar idiosyncrasy。 He had been the subject of but few diseases； although he was attacked by the epidemic of 1816。 From the history of his parents and an inquiry into the health of his ancestry； nothing could be found which could establish the fact of heredity in his peculiar disposition。 Despite every advantage of stature； constitution； and heredity； David Waller was through life； from his cradle to his grave； the victim of what is possibly a unique idiosyncrasy of constitution。 In his own words he declared： 〃Of two equal quantities of tartar and wheat flour； not more than a dose of the former； he would rather swallow the tartar than the wheat flour。〃 If he ate flour in any form or however combined； in the smallest quantity； in two minutes or less he would have painful itching over the whole body； accompanied by se