Materia Medica

Vespa vulgaris – Kent

Vespa vulgaris
vespa

A young man in perfect health was stung by a large number of wasps. Frequent convulsions followed, involving all the muscles of the body, with loss of consciousness; the convulsions disappeared after three years, leaving; him subject to attacks of unconsciousness when walking about. He often starts to go somewhere and finds himself several blocks beyond the place he started for.

The period of unconsciousness lasts several minutes. He does not fall nor does he drop things which he happens to hold in his hands.

If spoken to he does not answer nor seem to hear or notice anything; he looks into space. When he comes to himself, he has no memory of the moments that have passed; he is as bright as ever. He has no warning of the coming spell: A friend remarked that his eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and he looked as though he had no sense.

When standing upon the platform of a street car, he was noticed to grasp the iron railing and look wild; two men standing near him undertook to loosen his hands and put him in a seat, but they could not force him to let loose until he came to himself, and then he needed no aid. It was thought that he continued to grasp the railing about ten minutes, but time flies under excitement, and no one has timed this period.

He becomes sick and faint near a warm stove or in a close room; often gets up and leaves a close warm room to prevent vomiting; craves cold washing of hands and face which makes him feel better. Anger or excitement will bring on a spell.

The usual antidotes have helped for a while, and then the symptoms have returned with about the same general features.

Mentally he is not strong, and the tendency is to grow weaker.