1 824.] Sloto, Consecutive, and Accumulative Poisoning. 439 



active ingredients. Franck,* speaking of the Aqua Toffania, 

 agrees with Gmelin,+ that it is no other than a solution of 

 arsenic. The Pulvis Successions, another instrument of death, 

 whose title announces the diabolical intention with which it was 

 administered, has been supposed to have been a preparation of 

 lead ; while others have considered it to have consisted of dia- 

 mond dust, and to have acted mechanically. 



Having thus noticed a few of the more remarkable and inte- 

 resting features in the literary history of Toxicology, we shall 

 proceed to consider the subject of poisons, in relation to their 

 operation. 



A poison (Toxicum, Venenum, Virus), has been very correctly 

 defined by Gmelin to be a substance which, when administered 

 internally, or applied externally in a small dose, impairs the 

 health, or destroys life. This definition is adopted by Mead, 

 Sproegel, Plenck, and Tortosa, and is to be preferred to every 

 other,! not only for its simplicity, but for its independence of any 

 theory relative to the modus operandi of such agents. But it 

 will be seen that, by accepting this definition, we are necessa- 

 rily led to admit the fact, that poisoning may be acute, or chro- 

 nic ; that is to say, that it may at once destroy life, or produce 

 a disease which can be protracted to any indefinite period. 

 After the erroneous and vague notions which have been enter- 

 tained upon the subject of " Slow poisons," it is highly essen- 

 tial that the latitude of our belief should be accurately ascer- 

 tained, and the precise meaning of our terms defined. 



Of Slow, Consecutive,^ and Accumulative Poisoniu<r. 



1. Slow Poisons. — According to the popular acceptation cf 

 the term, they may be defined, substances which can be admi- 

 nistered imperceptibly; and a single dose of which will operate 

 so gradually, as to shorten life like a lingering disease ; their 

 force, at the same time, admitting of so nice an adjustment as 

 to enable the artist to occasion death at any required period. 

 We have now to inquire how far such alleged powers are con- 

 sistent with the known laws of physiology. It cannot be denied 

 that certain substances have been introduced into the alimentary 

 canal, where they have remained for an indefinite period, with- 



• Mai. tie Toxicol. 



t Hist. General de Venen. mineral. 



X Boerhaave gives us the following definition. " VeneHuttt dicti omne iltud QUud 

 ' thgtstum vtl applicatum corporis talem in airport' liuinaho mutalioncm excitnt, qua' 

 per iptttm earn mutalionem nun superalur. Medicament mil pralerr.u in eu iltjl'i t t,quutl 

 ipsa,quam fttcil mulatto, in sanitutem tenilttt, v.ncnum vert) corpus niutat, ut ex sano 

 irgrwn fiat, mil cadaver.'' (Prailect. Acad. T. vi. p. 288.) Hoffmann has furnished 

 us with a definition less exceptionable than the foregoing, hut still inferior to that of 

 ( > nii'lin. " Alii natura res, qua- ciigitti mole tl summit ptirtimit tenuitule, tutvi t,m- 

 pure concenlum alqtte ordinem motuum vitalium percertunt, vtl plane destruttnl ; et ha: 

 vocari totent Fauna." l.M. R.S. T. II. p. N8.1 



§ We have adopted this term, as one that has been in previous use, although we are 

 by no means satisfied that a more expressive word might not be found. 



