, 1873-06-01


terest, while very erroneous and imperfect
notions have been held with reference TO it.
Metallic salts may enter by the skin aud pro.
| duce violent disorders. The poison Of Berpents,
and cadayeric virus ESQ dangerous in simple
| scratch), are almost harmless in the stomach
A slice OF melon, plate Of Strawberries, glass
Of beer, highly-spiced dish, q cigar, will some
times produce all the symptoms Of poisoning.
/ It is well known TINT one patient may DO killed
by dose Of chloroform hardly sufficient to make
another insensible. The same dose of lnuda-
NUN produces in one person vonitings aud un-
easineas; in another agreeable sleep. Persons
i'll delirium or convulsions can bear without in
convenience enormous doses Of morphine OF Of
| ch1oral so also with quinine in cases Of fever,
| nicotine in smokers, alcohol in drunkards. The
system may oven, to certain point, be hnbitu-
ated to certain mineral poisons, like arsenic In
| the lower animals there are phenomena still
moro curious. :
Slugs feed with inpunity on leaves OF bella
donna, swallows on catcrpillars or venomous in-
sects (e. g., cantharides). Pigeons bear opium
easily, and their pupil does not dilate under tho
| influence Of atropine. Goats do not appear to
be incommodcl by taking leaves Of tobacco !;
frogs are insensible to the stings Of bees. On
the other hand, frogs arc go sensitive to strych
nine that they nre sometimes employed to dotcct
the presence Of this dangerous poison. Further,
dogs are very sensitive to the action Of ardent
spirits, pigs to that OF pepper; and other cases
might be given.
Arsenic in pieces ia much less active than
powdered arsenic, md this again than arsenic in
solution; while for rapidity and violence Of
effects, all are surpassed BY arsenic in the gas
eous form, or a1aenotted hydrogen. Cases arc
known in which several ounces Of mercury have
fh,nr10 hA a1fr1autnrv n11yif fhnr
causing serious Inconvenience. Mercuroas
chloride, little soluble, may be dispensed in
decgrammcs, while mercnric chloride, in
consequence cons OF ltn solubl3ity, cannot be
the greatest caution; aud, in the gaseous
state, the mercurial combinations bocomo still
more dangerous. as was shown some time since
in the case Of two young English chemists, who
died from having respired the vapor Of mercuro-
methyl.
Certain poisons, like prussic acid in concen-
tratcd solution, kill almost 1nstantaneougly
strychnine takes only fow minutes with ar
senic the time may be reckoued in hours with
phosphorus the agony may bo prolonged several
days. Thoae are metallic Substances which,
taken into the systen repeatedly in small qnan-
titles: produce no Inconvenience for months or
even yearB, and only show their pernicious &C. !,
EaSn hS o5 II hab b5soh1sa ssshs9
then appear suddenly. This is ofton observed
in workshops where mon arc brought into daily
contact with lead, mercury, or copper; and also
in rooms the walls Of which arc covered with
green paper containing arsenic.
We may, in an attempt at classification. note
two main groups Of poisons. AS types Of the
one group may be taken sulphuric ncid. caustic
potash, nitrate Of silver as types OF tho other. /
strychnine and morphine.
Let some drops OF sulphuric acid drop on q |
piece of wood or sugar ind their substauceg
soon take q yellow color; then, q brown; and in !
few minutes they become black and completely !
carbonlzed. This is explained by the extreme |
affinity OF sulphurio acid for the elements Of |
water hydrogen and oxygen, contained in sugar !
elament, tho carbon, in tho state Of dark mass |
without consistence. The effect Of sulphurio |
acid IN the animal system is quite similar the
skln OF the lips, the mucuouR surface OF the |
burnt and disorgenized in few seconds,
We may as easily unde1Btand the action os
caustc potash # we allow aome Of it to net, in |
concentrated solution, on 4 piece Of deerskin;
tho akih Immediately contracts becomes trans
parent and gelatinous, and finally diasolyeB. In
troducod into the system caustic potash produces
3 similar perforation of the most Resistant mem
branes.
Again. add some solution Of nitrate Of silver
to the white Of an egg (albumon). The two
substances combine, in part, to produce ooagu-
Eatlon. Now, as albumen is abundant in the
animal system. and especially in the blood we
may expect that this salt OF silver will produce
~ 1ne oiood vessels the Same coaguiation, &C.
Gompanled with obstruction and other evils: in
the circulation. This is what actually occurs.
N these three cases the action ia Immediate
and local the disorders are, at least in their
origin, confined to the organs with which the
poison comes into contact. We observe ulcera-
tons Of the lips: the tongue, the pharynx, the
esophagus, the stomach. The poison is mogt
frequently elected in vomiting, along with pieces
It the membrane, and blood, and thick, black,
masses the epigastric region being very SEN
utive. This primary action, though Of extremo
piolence, rarely causes Immediate death it ia
'olloWed By reaction Of tho whole syBtem q
'harp inflammation, with foyer; spreads to sur
hirst, which is tue mora intolerable that tho act
II dogluhtion has become SO painful. Con-
'ciousnesa is generally retained, and the ner-
'ous system is not affected except in IN indirect
say. In the most favorable cases, the curative
ores. If the issue is death, it % raraiv
ONES before the end Of the first day; /
ometlmes not for several weeks. On post-1nor-
em examination, the body sometimes shows q | {
omploto perforation Of gastric membranes a1 IN d ,
ONE parts We have thus given brief sketch !
the phenomena Of poisoning by corrosive I
oisons Of the first group. i
,i How do those Of the second differ? The direct
On OF the poison is first known BY The taste, t
hlcn l5 bitter or astringent. Vomiting is rare,
nd the elected matter presents no unusual an I {
o2rance. The region Of the stomach is not een- =
bly aIected; !; but the nervous system is, and
Lat violently. There ensue frightful spasmB, 4
r q profound torpor, or general or partial i
aray6l5. The lssue. whether recovery or death, t
generally very speedy. In the case Of death, t
Id the body being examined, there is found no G
'preclabe anatomical alteration in the digestive
aasages there is cerebral congestion, and more
less cadaver1o Tigidity. Chemistry detects the r
bison in the blood, in the nerves, In the brain,
I'd especially in the organs Of secretion, the .
Fer and the kidneys, where it accumu1ates in 0
rder to elimination. h
Il would be a mistake, however, to suppose .
her Of the tWo classes. or that they are IN P