Chittenden and Smith—Absorption of Arsenic by the Brain, 151 
tion ; a probable empty condition of the stomach, together with a 
large amount of the poison, a considerable portion of which must 
probably have been dissolved in the soup. Added to this, nine hours 
intervened between the taking of the poison and death. Certainly 
then everything favored an absorption of poison by the brain, if 
such is characteristic of this form of arsenic. Naturally the vomit- 
ing and purging would remove much of the poison, still the relative 
proportion of absorbed arsenic would not be materially altered, and 
thus if Scolosuboff’s results with soluble arsenites are applicable to 
arsenious oxide, we ought to find in this case, in conformity with his 
results, a larger percentage of arsenic in the brain than in the liver 
or kidneys. 
Following are the results actually found:* 
Liver (1259 grams) contained 76:0 milligrams As,O;. 
Kidney and bladder (332 grams) contained 0°6 milligram As2Os. 
Brain (=328 grams dry) contained simply a recognizable trace. 
Case B.—J. G., a young woman, age unknown. Regarding the 
details of this case we have less definite knowledge. She was last 
seen alive on Friday night, at which time she threatened to poison 
herself. The following Monday morning she was found dead, and 
near her an open package of Paris Green. She had evidently been 
dead some time, and both the condition of her room and person gave 
evidence of excessive purging and vomiting. An autopsy by Dr. 
White showed an entire absence of inflammation of the alimentary 
tract, and also a lack of any abnormal condition sufficient to account 
for death. The verdict was therefore, death by poisoning with Paris 
green or aceto-arsenite of copper. 
Through the kindness of Dr. White we were able to obtain por- 
tions of the body for analysis. The contents of the stomach were 
entirely free from arsenic, the poison having been wholly removed 
by the purging and vomiting; the trace found therefore, was the 
amount absorbed by the muscle tissue of the stomach. Following 
are the amounts of arsenic found in the parts analyzed : 
Liver (2984 grams) contained 12‘78 milligrams As.O3. 
Kidneys and bladder (515 grams) contained 3°40 milligrams As.Os. 
Muscle of thigh (735 grams) contained 0°97 milligram As,Q3. 
Stomach (425 grams) contained a trace. 
Brain (1179 grams) contained a trace. 
* The method of analysis consisted in the oxidation of the tissue with nitric and 
sulphuric acids, the arsenic being weighed as metallic arsenic. See Amer. Chem, 
Journal, vol, ii, p. 235, 
