1823 J On the Classification of Poisons, 183 



the alterations of the digestive canal produced by the poisons of 

 these two classes, when introduced into the stomach." The 

 substances included under this class belong, for the most part, 

 to the vegetable kingdom, such as scammony, camboge, black 

 and white hellebore, bryony, euphorbium, seeds of the ricinus, 

 iatropa curcas (Indian nut), croton tiglium, squill, aconite, 

 &c. &c. 



Class IV. Narcotic or Stupefying Poisons, — Such as occasion 

 stupor, drowsiness, paralysis, or apoplexy, and convulsions. 

 'They do not produce any change in the structure of parts to 

 which they are applied. M. Orfila has satisfactorily ascertained 

 that no alteration can be discovered on dissection m the digest- 

 ive canal of persons who have swallowed any one of the poison- 

 ous substances of this class. 



Class V. NarcoticO'Acrid Poisons, — ^This division, as its name 

 imphes, is intended to receive such substances as produce the 

 united effects of those belonging to the two preceding classes, 

 acting for instance at the same time, as narcotics and rubefa- 

 cients. Amongst the articles of this class, the following may be 

 enumerated, Belladonna, stramonium, tobacco, foxglove, hem- 

 lock, nux vomica, camphor, cocculus indicus, certain mush- 

 rooms, alcohol, &c. &c. 



Class VI. Septic and Putrefying Poisons, -^By this term are 

 included those poisons which, according to Orfila, " occasion a 

 general debility, dissolution of the humours, and syncope, but 

 which do not, in general, alter the intellectual faculties." The 

 articles of this class belong almost entirely to the animal king- 

 dom, with the exception perhaps of a few gaseous compounds, 

 and the spurred rye, or ergot, viz. venomous animals ; animals 

 whose fluids have been depraved by antecedent disease ; the poison 

 of fishes I substances in a state of putridity ; spurred rye, or 

 ergot. 



Such is the classification which, for reasons already stated, it 

 is our intention to adopt on the present occasion. We shall, 

 however, in an additional chapter, under the title of " Aerial 

 Poisons," treat of those substances which are exclusively capa- 

 ble of acting upon the body through the medium of the atmo- 

 sphere, or which require to be in a state of vapour, or gas, to 

 ensure their operation. 



With regard to the classification of Fodere and Orfila, we 

 must here observe, that we follow it only conventionally, and 

 that while we acknowledge it as being very convenient for the 

 consideration of poisons, in reference to their forensic relations, 

 yet we must not be considered as insensible to its many defects 

 and fallacies. In the first place, it has little or no reference to 

 the enlarged views of the modern physiologist, respecting the 

 " modus operandi " of poisons ; nor indeed is its construction 

 susceptible of such modifications and improvements, as can 



