1815.] Orfila'i Trcaihe on Poisons. 3SS 



has occasioned some repetition, and given rather a stifT appearance 

 to the work. But when the novehy of many of the sulyects 

 treated of is considered, and the numerous mistakes respectino- 

 them still taught in the most recent hooks on medical jurisprudence 

 it was better to err on the side of minuteness and repetition than on 

 that of omission. 



M. Orfila divides poisons into six classes; namely, corrosive, 

 astringent, acridy stiifjifi/ing, narcolico-acrid, and septic. 'J'he 

 present volume, published in two parts, includes the first two of 

 these classes. 



The corrosive poisons consist of preparations of the following 

 substances : mercury, arsenic, antimony, copper, tin, zinc, silver, 

 gold, bismuth. It includes likewise the following substances • 

 sulphuric acid, nitric acid, muriatic acid, phosphoric acid, fluoric 

 acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid ; the caustic alkalies, barytes, lime • 

 phosphorus ; cantharides. The astringent jX)isons are confined tp 

 preparations of lead. 



The principal poisonous preparation of mercury is corrosive sul>- 

 limate, or deuchloride of nu-rcurij. The chemical properties of 

 this salt are described at great length. Jt may be suflicient here to 

 say, that it is a white>^ heavy substance, having an acrid taste, and 

 soluble in about 11 ti*nes its weight of water. When heated it 

 sublimes in a white smoke, which excites couglilng; but has nol 

 an alliacious smell. If a plate of clean copper be exposed to this 

 smoke it becomes tarnished, and wlien rubbed assumes a white 

 colour. The solution of corrosive sublimate is precipitated brick 

 red by an alkaline carbonate ; yellow by a caustic fixed alkali and 

 lime-water; vvliite by ammonia; white by prussiate of potash; 

 black by a hydrosulphurct ; white by albumen. Corrosive subli- 

 tnate, when swallowed in a considerable dose, (as 30 grains) acts 

 with great violence, occasioning evacuations both upwards and 

 downwards, and death very speedily ensues. M. Orfila has ascer- 

 tained that white of egg, dissolved iq water, and administered in 

 considerable quantity, and as speedily as possible, constitutes the 

 best antidote to this poison. 



All the preparations of arsenic are violent poisons; but the most 

 common state in which it is administered is that of arsenious acid, 

 or white oxide of arsenic. Its properties, and the fatal etFects 

 which it i)roduces when taken internally, are so well known, that 

 it would be superfluous to describe them liere. When arsenic is 

 swallowed in a state of solution, sulphureted hydrogen taken soon 

 after is an eflicacious antidote. But this poison is usually admi- 

 nistered In a sfilid state, and in that case the antidote is totally in- 

 efficacious. The proper treatment is to endeavour to get the poison 

 out of the stomach as speedily as possible, by vomitit)g. Great 

 (juantities of hot water, having some sugar or mucilaginous matter 

 dissolved in it, should be swallowed, and vonnting excited, if it 

 does nut take j)liicc spoutarieouily, by itilioducing liie linger, or a 



