Belladonna Poisoning Simulating Puerperal Insanity.

Abstract

New York City, June 25, 1898. Mrs. G., 26 years old, was delivered last January of an anacephelous male child. Labor was short and natural. Two days after, to prevent the secretion of milk with the consequent painful distention of the breasts, a belladonna plaster was applied to each gland in addition to the usual bandage compression. The nipples were not covered by the plasters. In about twelve hours I was hurriedly called to my patient and found her condition as follows: Flushed face, pulse 100 and good; temperature 100.5 degrees and quite actively delirious. She sang, whistled, laughed, cried and made futile attempts to get out of bed and house. Finding no appreciable cause for the combined disturbance of body and mind, puerperal insanity suggested itself as the most probable diagnosis. The second visit was made sixteen hours after the first; the woman's condition was found to be much