The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-31

sOnic, The usual antidoteS are solution OF
tannin, strong ten, aud magnesia and milk.
Anthony Il detected by the erange-red
predpItate It gives with hydrogen sulphide
aud the alkaline sulphides, The dried pre-
cipitate Is easily reduced to metallic anti
mony with the characteristic reaction on
heated charcoal
The symptoms OF poisoning with copper
salts are similar to those produced by ar.
sentc, but the vomited matters are blue or
green, and there is usually "coppery
taste" in the mouth. The usual antidotes
are warm water to promote vomiting, white
oil eggs, strong ten or tannin solutions, and
weak solutions Of protosulphate OF iron or
potassium ferrocyanide in water, Copper
in solution is detected by the blue color it
forms with ammonia when the latter is
added in slight excess, and by the brown
ish-red precipitate which forms an the ad-
dition dissolution Of potassium ierrocyanile,
Most OF the salts Of copper have n clear blue
or green color, easily recognizable.
Salts or preparations containing mercury
in any torm-corrosive sublimlte, white
precipitate, mercuric iodide, vermilion
mercuric sulphate, mercuric ointments,
etc.-are extremely poisonous. A few
minutes alter swallowing any OF these u
"coppery" taste IS observed, followed
by sense Of construction in the throat
and irritation Of the throat and stomach.
Nausea and vomiting soon occur, the
vomitGd matter consisting Of coagulated
muGus and blood. DiarrhGa follows,
and the face OF the patient becomes
swollen and alternately flushed and pale.
The pulse becomes small and irregular,
the skin clammy, and respiration labOred,
In extreme cases the interior OF the lips
become swollen, and the tongue white and
shriveled, The case frequently terminates
with syncope, Convulsions, or general in
sensibility. Egg albumen administered
with warm water to allay the irritation
and produce vomiting is the usual anti
dotG, Milk and gluten or flour is also
recommended. Active efforts should ut
once be made to effect the entire Gxpul-
sion OF the contents OF the stomach. The
stomach pump cannot be used.
The operation OF such narcotic poisons
as opium and prussiC acid or prussiate Of
potQsh (hydrocyanic acid or potassium
Cyanide) Is confined chiefly to the spinal
marrow and brain.
The effects OF hydroCyaniC acid land
potassium or other similar cyanide) are
almost instantaneous; il IL very rarely the
case that they are delayed more than two
or three minutes On the other hand,
cases OF fatal poisoning by opium do not
terminate earlier than from six to twelve
hours,
In cases OF poisoning by Cyanides emet-
les and the stomach pump are at once
called into requisition. Freshly precipi-
tated hydro-iron oxide, II administered im.
medlately, is perhaps one Of the best anti
dotes. Chlorine water injected into the
stomach Is also recommended.
Nitrate Of silver yields with solution OF
the soluable cyanides 4 white preeipitate.
When few drops Of solution OF potash
in gum water Is mixed with small sam.
pie Of the suspected liquid and solution Of
SulphatG OF iron is then added dark
brown precipitate separates in few min
utes. This precipitate, when agitNted with
sulphuric acid, develops u deep blue color
II CyGnldes were present.
These are only few OF the long list OF
active poisons, but they include those
which RrO in nine cases out Of ten respon-
sible for the fearful record Of poisoning
cases. And 1t Is assuredly true that but
for the want OF little timely and definite
knowledge respecting common poisons and
their antidotes-such us we have endeav.
Ored TO briefly sketch abovo--tho list Of
fatalities from poisoning might have been
shortened one.third.