The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-31
AN ARTICLE no PRESERVE.
Facts About Some of the More Common
pOIsOnS aud Their AntIdOtes.

Facts About Some of the More Common
POIsOnS aud Their AntldOteS.
Scientific American.
The following is condensed statement
oithe characteristics, symptoms, antidotes,
and simple methods Of testing for and
identifying some Of the more common poi
sons:
Poisons are usually divided into three
classes irritant, narcotic, and narcotic.irri;
tant Irritant poisons IRE usually consid-
cred under the heads Of mineral
-or metallic and non-metallic-irri-
tants, vegetable irrltants, and ami
nal irritants. In the first OF these
divisions is arsenic and It's compounds.
From half an hour to an hour after the
arsenic has been swallowed the person
begins to feel a nNmeless uneasiness, dc.
veloping into iaintness, depression and
nausea, with an intense burning pain in
the region Of the stomach increased by
pressure, retching, vomiting, sense Of
construction in tho throat, with intense
thirst; diarrhma, more or less violent,
accompanied by cramps In the calves oil
the legs; matter discharged from the
stomach OF dirk greenish color, some.
times streaked with blood. The pulse be.
comes small, frequent and irregular; skin
cold and cammy In the state OF collapse,
ut other times very hot; respiration painful;
eyes red and bright Sometimes the sut-
ferer becomes unconscious or suffers partial
paralysis or tetantic ConvulsiOns--preCur.
sors Of death. The symptoms will vary
according TO tho nature Of tho compound
and the quantity taken.
There Is no specific antidote for arsenic,
and remedies are rarely attended with sue.
cess II not applied at an early stage. Mkt.
1res OF olive oil and lime Hater promptly
administered after the elFcCtual Use Of ali
etnetiC have been recommended; recently
preCipitated hydrated oxide Of iron mixed
with mageisia has also been used with
favorable results. No chemical antidote
should ever supersede active evaCuent
treatment by emetiCs and with the stomach
pump.
Lead or lis salts are often taken into the
system unawares-in drinking water that
hus been allowed to stand In lead pipes or
reservoirs, or in preserved vegetables and
fruit cooked or allowed to stand for long
time in contact with lead.soldered joints.
All lead salts are more or less poisonous,
and their etlectsar aCCumulative-as with
the painter who becomes Headed" BY the
gradual absorption oflead from the paints
with which lie Is in constant contact. When
any considerable quantity Of this metal
has been swallowed, or when 1t has acct.
initiated in the system, the usual synp-
toms are: n burning, priCkling sensation
in the throat, with dryness and thirst, I'm
easiness OF the stomach, and irritation OF
the nlimehtary canal, followed by violent
and obstinate collie and great pain In the
abdomen, relieved somewhat by pressure,
the pain being Intermittent There Is US.
ally obstinate constipation, cold skin and
general prostitution, In extreme cases the
exlfemities become numb or paralyEed,
followed by commissions and inscnsibility.
For lead poisoning sulphate Of soda or
EPSON salts Is the prescribed antidote;
powdered charcoal and sulphate Of inagne-
sia are also recommended. Large quanti-
ties Of cream and albumen Tor whites Of
egg) also retatd the action Of lead poisons,
and emetics are given 10 promote vomiting
Il the poison does not itself occasion il.
Lead Is easily detected in a substance by
heating the latter with little pure acetic
acid and testing samples Of the solution
with sulphuric acid, chronic acid Tor
biChromale oipotasslum) sodium sulphide,
and zinc. The first produces heavy
white precipitate, the second q bright vel.
low, the third black precipitate, and the |
lNst--the Glnc-when suspended In the |
liquid becomes covered with crystalline
formation. oil metallic lead,
The action on the system Of the salts Of
anthony when taken In considerable |
doses Is somewhat similar 10 that Of ar.