Cantharides

The Spanish fly {blister beetle} is two cm. long and 0.6 cm broad. The powder of the dried body is greyish-brown and contains shiny green particles. The active principle is cantharidin. It is used externally as an irritant. The Indian fly {beetle} is 2.5 cm long and 0.8 cm broad. It contains about 2.9 percent cantharidin. Cantharidin is readily absorbed from all surfaces including the skin.
Route :
Ingestion, Contact
Fatal Dose :
15 to 50 mg. of cantharidin, or one and a half to three grams of powdered cantharides
Fatal Period :
24 to 36 hours
Clinical Picture :
Applied to the skin, redness and burning pain are produced after 2-3 hours followed by vesication. Taken internally, symptoms appear in half to 2 hours. There is burning sensation in the mouth and throat, followed by pain in the stomach, nausea and vomiting of bloody mucus, severe thirst, difficulty in swallowing and speech. Later a dull pain is felt in the loins` the urine is scanty and blood-stained, though there is an increased desire to pass urine. Priapism {diagnostic} may occur` there is often tenesmus. Abortion occurs in pregnant women. In sever cases, the patient becomes prostrated, convulsions occur, and death may take place in a condition of coma.
Treatment :
Stomach wash, demulcents and symptomatic treatment.

Cantharides

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