The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-01-17
The SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY
TUESDAY, JANUARY II, 1882.
AN ARTICLE To PRESERVE.
Facts About Seine ofthc More Com,
mon POisOns and Their AntidOtes.

| II
mon POisOns and Their Antidotes.
Scientific American.
The following is n condensed state
ment of the characteristics, symptoms,
srridotes, and simple methods of test
ing for and identifying some of the
more coumon p0is"us:
PoisOns are usually divided into three
classes-irritaIt narcotic. and narcotic
irritant Irritant poisons are usually
considered under the heads Of mineral
or metallic and NOMINEE aillc-irri-
tants, vegetable irritan's, and animal i
ritan,s. In the first of these divisions
is arsenic and its compounds. FROM
half an hour to an hOnr after the arsen
ic has been swallowed the person begins
to feel nameless uneasiness, Develop
ing into fairtness, depression and nau-
sea, with an intense burning pain in the
region of the stomach, increased by
pressure, retching, vomiting, sense OF
construction in the throat, with intense
thirst; disrr; e l, more or less violent,
accompanied by cramps in the calves of
the legs: matter discharged from the
stomach Of dark greenish color, some
times srpakfd with blood. The pulse
becomes small, frcqrent and irregular
skin cold and clammy in the state of
collapse, at other times very hot; respi,
ration painful: eyes red and bright
Sometimes the sufferer becomes uncon-
scious or suffers partial paralysis or te.
tanic convulsions-precursors of death.
The symptoms will vary according to
the nature of the compound and the
quantity taken.
There is no specific antidote for arsen-
ic, and remedies are rarely attended
with success il not applied at an carly
stage. Mixtures OF olive oil and lime
water promptly administered after the
efectual use Of an emetic have been re-
recommended; recently precipitated by
drafted oxide Of iron mixed with mag
nesia has also been used with favorable
results No chemical an,idote should
ever supersede active evacuent treatment
BY emetics snd with the stomach pump.
Lesd or its salts are often taken into
the system unawares-in drinking water
that has been allowed TO stand in lead
pipes or reservoirs, or in preserved veg
etables 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 effects
are accumula'ive-as with the painter
who becomes "leaded" by the gradual
absorption of lead from the paints with
which he Is in constant contact. When
any considerable quantity of this metal
} has been swallowed, or when it has ac-
cumuated in the system, the usual symp-
toms are: burning, prickling sensa
ton in the throat, with dryness and
: thirst, uneasiness Of the stomach, and
irritation Of the alimentary canal, fol.
, lowed by violent and obstinate collie and
great pain in the abdomen, relieved
somewhat by pressure, the pain being
intermittent. There is usually obstinate
constipation, cold skin and general pros.
| tration. In extreme cases the extreui
ties become numb or paral, zad, follow.
ed by convulsions and insensibilitv
For lead poisoning sulphate of sods
or Epson salts is the prescribed anti.
do,e; powdered charcoal and sulphate
. of magnesia are also recommended
Large quantities of cream and aibumer
for whites of ege) also retard the &C.
ton of lead poisons, and emetics are
given to promote vomiting if the poison
does not itself occasion j.. Lead j:
easily detected in a substance By heat
- ing the latter with little pure acetit
acid and testing samples of the solution
with sulphuric acid, chronic acid To-
bichromate OF poiassium), sodium sui
phide, and zinc. The first produces
heavy white precipitate, the second
bright yellow, the third a black precipi
!. tate, and The lasi-the zinc-when sus
pended in the liquid becomes covered
RI with crystalline formation of netall
lead.
The action on the system of the salt
r OF antimony when taken in considerabl
doses is somewhat similar to that Of ar
senic The usual antidotes are solutio
Of of tannin, strong tea, and magnesia an
milk Anthony is detected bv th
orange-red precipitate it gives with hy
drogen sulphide and the alkaline snl
phides The dried precipitate is easil
reduced to metallic an,imony with th
= characteristic reaction ON heated char
coal.
The symptoms OF poisoning wit
copper salts are similar TO those pro
duced by arsenic, but the vomited ma,
10 ters are blue or green, and there is usu
= ally "coppery taste" in the mouth. :
: The usual antidotes are warm water t.
promote vomiting, white of eggs, s,ron,
tea or tannin solutions, and weak SC lu
5, tions of protosulphate OF iron or po,as
u siun ferrocyanide IN water. Copper f.
IS solution is detected by the blue color
: forms with ammonia when the latter i
" added in slight excess, and by tn
brownish-red precipitate which form
- and the addition OF solution of potas
sium ferrocyanide. Most OF the salt
e of copper have q clear blue or greer
% color, easily recognizable.
}; Salts or preparations containing mer
curry in any form--corrosive sublmate
" white precipitate, mercuric iodide, yer
,e million mercuric sulphate, mercuric oint
n ments, e.c.-are extremely poisonous
'r A few minutes after swallowing any O
these "coppery" taste is observed fol
- lowed by sense Of construction in tb
throat and irritation of the throat an
- stomach Nausea and vomiting 500
occur, the vomited matter consisting @
coagulated mucus and blood Diarrhe
: follows, and the face OF the patient be
ID comes swollen and alternately husbe
> and pale. The pulse becomes small an,
irregular, the skin clammy, aud resrira
In lion labored. In extreme cases the in
1. terror Of the lips become swollen, an
r, the tongue white and shriveled. Th
to case frequently terminates with syncope
convulsions, or general insensibility =
.. Egg albumen administered with war;
- !, water to allay the irritation and produc
> vomiting is the usual antidote. Mil
70 and gluten or -four is also recommend
}. ed Active efforts should at once
made to effect The entire expulsion G
D. the contents of the stomach. The stom
= ach pump cannot be used.
- The operation of such narcotic POI
= sOns as opium and prussic acid or ptut