Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

avec leurs antidotes; rédigée d’après ce qu’on a de mieux sur cette
matière, & sur-tout d’après l’Histoire des plantes helvétiques de m. le
baron de Haller; mise à la portée de tout le monde, avec le lieu natal
de chaque plante pour la France, les figures nécessaires, & plusieurs
observations nouvelles. Par Mr. P.R. Vicat ... etc. First Edition,
Yverdon, 1776.
[‘History of the poisonous plants from Switzerland’. Containing
their description, their bad effects on men and on animals, with their
antidotes; edited after the best of this material, and especially from
the History of Swiss plants by Monsieur Le Baron de Haller; placed
at the disposal of everybody, with birth place of each plant in France,
the necessary diagrams, and several new observations. By Mr. P.R.
Vicat…].
Hyoscyamus niger: ‘difficulty swallowing, frenetic and stupid, lighty
deluded, rather gay, sad dreams, dangerous fever, quarrelsome,
furious, violent, loss of all senses, hydrophobia, drunk, vertigo,
trouble with vision, double vision, blind, eyes inflamed, can hardly
speak, stops speaking, profound sleep, frightening dreams, cramps,
convulsions, risus sardonicus, trembling of the limbs, swelling of the
limbs, excess diarrhoea, swelling of the lower abdomen, pains in all
the body–head, intestines–paralysis takes hold of half of the body,
radiant warmth, lived colour, fainting, palpitations, strong irregular
pulse, swelling of the vessels–neck, face and limbs, numbness which
lasts for months on end.’
Hyoscyamus blanc: ‘Similar, slumber, convulsions’
Hellebore niger: ‘purgative, excess diarrhoea, hiccups, vomiting,
convulsions, inflamed intestines’
Papaver somniferum: ‘sluggishness of the stomach, intestines,
urine and pupils, insensible, respiration difficult, bitterness,
nauseous, salivates, sensation of warmth’
In his introduction he says ‘á propos’ the sensory system: ‘Je veux
parler des sens, soit extérieur soit intérieur de ces gardiens vigilans
que la nature á sa sagesse établie pour veiller á le conservation de
notre santé et de notre vie.’ ‘I want to speak of the senses, either
exterior or interior of these vigilant guardians that nature, in its
wisdom, established to look after our health and our lives.’ This
phrase could be applied to pharmacovigilance.
1777 A French Royal declaration dated 28 th April 1777 separated the
spicers (grocers) from the apothecaries and forbade grocers and all
other persons to make, sell or to retail salts, compounds or