A CASE 
OF 
PETROLEUM-ETHER POISONING. 
BY JOSEPH LEIDY, Jr., M.D. (Univ. of Penna.), 
Resident Physician Hospital University of Pennsylvania. 
(.Reprintedfrom the Therapeutic Gazette for July, iBBg. 
r 
I 
THE following interesting case of pejtro- 
leum-ether poisoning was admittecj to 
the University Hospital during the month oj 
May, 1888; I S' 
M. P., set, 19, strong, plethoric man, weight 
one hundred and eighty pounds, a worker at 
Point Breeze Oil-Works, bad been ordered to 
cleanse a large oil-tank, the substance used 
being petroleum-ether, or benzine. He was 
found soon after lying upon the ground in an 
unconscious condition, in which state he was 
admitted to the University Hospital. From 
a fellow-workman I glean the following his- 
tory : A new hand at the work, he had evi- 
dently used the substance in too large a 
quantity, for he was found soon after in the 
condition described, but, as his fellow-work- 
men thought, dead. Active means for resus- 
citation were resorted to, but with no avail. 
While a conveyance was being sought to re- 
move him to his home, he was seen to move. 
In doubt as to his condition, they hurried 
him to the hospital, where I found him in the following condition : A man with a remark- 
able fine physique ; unconscious ; pulse strong 
and full, 60 ; respiration 14, very feeble, al- 
most imperceptible ; slight cyanosis ; temper- 
ature 96.2° in the axilla ; the body was cold ; 
apparently but slight peripheral circulation in 
the extremities, arms, and legs, notably the 
nose and ears, which felt like ice ; pupils 
widely dilated, and did not react to light; 
nystagmus, conjunctivas barely sensitive to 
touch ; paralysis of lower extremities, with 
incontinence of urine and faeces. The upper 
extremities resisted movements. Urine was 
tested, and found normal, but with an ethe- 
real odor. The driver of the patrol-wagon 
states he had a general convulsion (?) on his 
way to the hospital. Artificial respiration and 
friction, with mustard, of the body and ex- 
tremities was immediately resorted to, and 
kept up for half an hour, when we were re- 
warded by the patient taking several deep 
inspirations voluntarily. We persisted in this 
course until we had further evidence of re- 
turn of consciousness. In an hour and a 
half from the time of his admission he opened 
his eyes and spoke, complaining of severe 
frontal headache. This gradually disap- 
peared towards morning, when he was feel- 
ing so much better that he insisted upon 
leaving the hospital, which he did that day, 
feeling, as he stated, “ as well as ever.” 
Lewin (Virchow Arch., vol. cxii., April, 1888) 
has written an extremely interesting article 
upon the poisonous action of petroleum upon 
the animal organism, from its internal admin- 
istration, and with especial reference to its 
local action upon the skin (“Ueber All- 3 
gemeine und Hautvergiftung durch Petro- 
leum”). 
He succeeded in inducing a number of 
students to take the substance in a liquid form, 
and studied its action in varying quantities 
up to 300 c.c. Pie describes several varieties 
of its poisonous action, the principal of which 
are,— 
1. The gastro-intestinal variety, including 
its action upon the kidneys. 
2. Cerebral variety, with unpleasant after- 
effects. 
During his stay in America several years 
ago, he visited the principal oil-works, and 
studied its action upon the skin. Its action 
upon the stomach and intestines is that of a 
gastro-iniesiinal enteritis. Upon the cere- 
brum it is somewhat similar to the case just 
recorded, with the absence of after-effects. 
The intense acne which is produced upon the 
body exposed to the substance, both in a 
liquid form and as a vapor, is familiar to 
those having charge of dispensaries in the 
vicinity of large oil-works. 
The above case is interesting, as showing 
the effect of the absorption through the lungs. 
It is a rare occurrence at the oil-works, and 
the writer is unable to find any reference 
to a similar case. The profound uncon- 
sciousness, paralysis, partial anaesthesia, and 
convulsions (?), with incontinence of faeces 
and urine, lead us to infer that it must have 
a direct action upon the cerebro-spinal axis. 
It is possible the anaesthesia was complete 
when the patient was first discovered, as the 
distance from the works was fully two and a 
half miles. 4 
The indications for treatment were simple, 
—to sustain the heart and respiration, which 
we did by artificial respiration and, frictions, 
with the internal administration of coffee. 
Lewin suggests the use of apomorphine in 
those who have swallowed the 'drug in liquid 
form. 
The symptoms in the above case compare 
favorably with those recorded by Lewin, with 
the following exceptions : In Lewin’s cases 
no reference is made to its action upon the 
centres dominating urination and defecation. 
This may be explained from the fact that no 
case was so profoundly affected as this. The 
pulse was variable, irregular, slow, feeble, and 
small. In the above case, however, the pulse, 
though slow, was strong, full, and with high 
tension. The pupils did not react to light, 
which is in accord with the observations of 
Lewin, though Meyer (Journal de la Societe 
Med. d'Anvers, February, 1865) has noted, 
with the dilatation, normal reaction to light. 
Petroleum-ether, or benzine, is a mixture 
of several organic compounds, which belong 
to the marsh-gas CH4 series. It is rendered 
volatile at a temperature slightly above the 
bodily range. As petroleum-ether is a mix- 
ture and not a definite organic compound, 
the active factor in the mixture which gives 
rise to the above symptoms is not known. It 
is highly probable that each compound in 
itself plays a definite part in their production. 
Its great solvent property for fats and oils, in 
connection with its cheapness, make it par- 
ticularly desirable for the purpose for which 
it is used.