128 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 



NOTE ON THE EAPIDITY OF THE ABSORPTION 

 OF ARSENIC BY THE HUMAN LIVER, 



BY W. W. DANIELLS, M. S., 

 Professor of Analytic Chemistry, University of Wisconsin. 



In June, 1873, August Mansard died suddenly. In Decem- 

 ber following the body was exhumed, the stomach, bowels, and 

 a portion of the liver were brought to me to be examined for 

 poisons. The stomach and duodenum were examined at once, 

 and found to contain eight grains of arsenious acid. The liv- 

 er and remaining portions of the viscera were put in a glass 

 jar, covered with dilute alcohol, and sealed December 25th. 



On the 9th of February, 1874, that portion cf the liver 

 brought to me. weighing thirty -one ounces, was taken from the 

 alcohol, decomposed by Fresenius and Babo's method, and 

 the arsenic weighed as arsenious sulphide. The weight of ar- 

 senious sulphide thus found was 1.864: grains, which is equiv- 

 lent to 1.5 grains arsenious acid. 



The subject died three hours after eating dinner, and it is 

 supposed that the poison was given in the food at this time. 



As death is seldom caused by arsenic in so short a time as 

 three hours, this case is of interest on account of its showing 

 the rapidity of the absorption of this poison by the liver. 

 The weight of an adult liver is about four pounds. Suppos- 

 ing the weight of this liver to have been sixty-two ounces, the 

 amount of arsenious acid contained in it would have been 

 three grains. 



