8o POISONOUS PLANTS 



the penalty of the peach.' As the Egyytians were 

 the first known to have practised distillation, this 

 referred to the formation of prussic acid. The 

 knowledge passed to the Romans, for a knight in 

 the reign of Tiberius, accused of high treason, 

 swallowed poison and fell down dead. No poison 

 but prussic acid, and that in a tolerably concen- 

 trated form, would have this effect." 



Dr. Tanner asserts that cases of alarming illness 

 have occurred from eating bitter almonds too freely ; 

 and that the essential oil obtained by distilling the 

 pulp of these almonds into water is a powerful 

 poison.^ The essence or oil of bitter almonds con- 

 tains about ten per cent, of prussic acid ; and it is 

 probable that from ten to thirty drops would prove 



^ Dr. Tanner suggests the following remedies : — Stimu- 

 lating frictions to the chest and abdomen, warmth to the 

 surface, and the application of ammonia to the nostrils. 



Dr. Brunton gives the following antidotes to poisoning 

 by Prussic Acid: — Alternate cold and warm effusions over 

 the head and neck, to cause a shock (Tanner). Artificial 

 respiration. Injection of atropine (two to four min. liquor 

 atropiae) repeated every half-hour. 



For poisoning by Prussic Acid, or Bitter Almonds, etc., 

 Mr. Blyth says : — Use the stomach-pump or tube ; or if not 

 at hand, an emetic of mustard or sulphate of zinc. 



If the breathing has stopped, try artificial respiration and 

 weak shock to the heart. 



A brandy enema may be given. The body must be kept 

 warm, but the cold douche may be advantageously applied 

 to the head. 



