CANTHARIDES (WASPS)

Cantharides is also known as spanish fly. Spanish fly is about 2cm long and 0.75cm broad. The active principle is cantharidin. Which causes blister or vesicle on the skin. Therefore the spanish fly is also known as blister beatle or cantharis vesicatoria.

Symptoms and signs:-

When applied to skin, inflammatory response results to 2-3hours and vesicles forms later. When swallowed symptoms appear about an hour.

There is a burning sensation in the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and abdomen followed by intense thirst, difficulty in swallowing and nausea and vomiting of blood stained material. And diarrhea with blood and mucus. Nephrotoxic effects manifest as dull pain in the loins region and constant desire to micturate but also small amount of blood stained urine is passed. The inflammation extent to the urine bladder and urethra.

Fatal dose-

1.5gm of powder, 1ounce of tincture and 10mg cantharidin is regard as fatal dose.

Fatal period-

It varies from 24 hours to 1 weeks.

Treatment:-

The stomach is washed out with warm water. Fatty substance and alcohol must be avoided but demulcents and albumin will be given.

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