182 On the Ckssijication of Poisons. [Sept. 



ranked the following substances :— Metals. I. Arsenic, I. Ar- 

 senious Acid, or White Oxide of Arsenic. 2. Arsenites, or 

 Combinations of that Acid with salifiable Bases. 3. Arsenic 

 Acid. 4. Arseniates, or Combinations of the preceding Acid 

 with the Bases. 6. Sulphurets of Arsenic, or Orpiment and 

 Realgar. — II. Mercury, 1. Corrosive Sublimate of Mercury, or 

 Oxymuriate of Mercury. 2. Red Oxide of Mercury. 3. Red 

 Precipitate, or Nitric Oxide of Mercury. 4. Other preparations 

 of Mercury. — III. Antimony, 1. Tartarized Antimony, or 

 Tartar Emetic. 2. Oxide of Antimony. 3. Antimonial Wine, 

 4. Muriate of Antimony, or Butter of Antimony. — IV. Copper, 



1. Blue Vitriol, or Sulphate of Copper. 2. Verdegris. 3. Oxide 

 of Copper. 4. Other preparations of Copper. — \ , Tin, 1. Mu- 

 riate ot Tin. — ^VI. Zinc, 1. Sulphate of Zinc, or White Vitriol. 



2. Oxide of Zinc. — VII. Silver. 1. Nitrate of Silver, or Lunar 

 Ca.ustic'^The Co7icent rated Acids, 1. Sulphuric. 2. Muriatic. 



3. Nitric. 4. Phosphoric, &c. — Hot Liquids, 1. BoiHng Water. 



2. Melted Lead. — The Caustic Alkalies. 1. Potass. 2. Soda. 



3. Ammonia. — The Caustic Alkaline Earths, 1. Lime. 2. Ba- 

 ryta. 3. Muriate and Carbonate of Baryta. Cantharides, 

 Phosphorus, 



Class II. Astringent Poisons. — ^They occasion a remarkable 

 and unrelenting constriction of the great intestines, especially 

 the colon, so as to resist the operation of the most powerful 

 cathartic remedies. Violent cholics ensue, and partial paralysis ; 

 in the end if the dose be sufficiently large, or if small doses nave 

 been frequently repeated, they will excite inflammation of the 

 alimentary canal, but it is not succeeded by that disorganization 

 which generally characterises the operation of poisons belong- 

 ing to the preceding division. We rank under the present class 

 only the preparations of lead, viz. 1. Acetate of Lead, or Sugar 

 of Lead; 2. Oxides of Lead, Red Lead, Litharge; 3. Various 

 saturnine impregnations. 



Class III. Acrid or Rubefacient Poisons. — These poisons are 

 known by their producing an acrid taste, more or less pungent 

 and bitter; a burning heat, and considerable dryness in the 

 mouth and fauces ; and a constriction, more or less painful, in 

 the throat. Acute pains are, after a short interval, experienced 

 in the stomach and bowels, which are quickly followed by 

 copious vomiting and purging, and which continue, with the 

 most painful efforts, long after the alimentary canal has been 

 completely evacuated. A few hours after, phenomena are ob- 

 served, which indicate a lesion of the nervous system, such as 

 vertigo, dilated pupils, dejection, insensibility, laborious respira- 

 tion, and death. The lesions of texture, occasioned by the 

 action of acrid poisons, have the greatest analogy to those pro- 

 duced by corrosive poisons ; in fact, says M. Orfila, we do not 

 hesitate to declare, that there exists a perfect identity between 



