181 5.J Oifda's Treatise on Poisons,, 385 



occasions death, by corroding that organ, and bringing on gan- 

 grene. Wlien injected into the veins, even in very small quan- 

 tities, the animal dies almost immediately. The antidote to this 

 poison is common salt dissolved in water, which, decomposes the 

 nitrate of silver, and forms an insoluble chloride, which produces 

 no injurious effects upon the animal economy. 



Gold is not likely to be administered as a poison. When this 

 metal is dissolved in nitro-muriatic acid it forms a salt, which acts 

 more violently on the animal economy than corrosive sublimate. 

 The symptoms are similar, except that the salt of gold does not 

 produce the same effects upon the mouth and gums. No antidote 

 against this poison is known. The object of the phj-sician must be 

 to get it thrown out of tiie stomach as speedily as possible by vomit- 

 ing. I think it very probable that a solution of sulphate of iron 

 would destroy its deleterious effects, by decomposing the salt, and 

 throwing down the gold in the metallic state. 



The nitrate of bismuth, and the white pigment for the face, 

 known by the name of pearl white, which is a preparation of bis- 

 muth, act with considerable energy as poisons when introduced 

 into the stomach. The best antidotes against these deleterious pre- 

 parations are milk and mucilaginous liquids, swallowed in consi- 

 derable quantities. 



Sulphuric acid has sometirnes been swallowed by mistake, and 

 sometimes taken by persons who wished to destroy their lives. The 

 violence of its action on animal substances is well known. The 

 mouth, the oesophagus, and the stomach, are speedily corroded by 

 it, and their functions destroyed ; the consequence is death, at- 

 tended with the most excruciating pain. From the experinients of 

 M. Orfila it appears that the best antidote against this corrosive 

 acid is calcined magnesia, and that if this substance be admi- 

 nistered soon after the acid has been swallowed, it prevents death, 

 and enables the patient to recover. 



Nitric acid has been frequently swallowed in considerable quan- 

 tities by unhappy persons who wished to destroy themselves. It is 

 still more coriosive than sulphuric acid, acts with more violence, 

 and produces dreadful pains. Magnesia is also the best antidote 

 against this poison, and if administered very speedily, it may even 

 save the life of the patient. 



Muriatic acid, thoygh it cannot be exhibited in so concentrated 

 a state as sulphuric and nitric acids, produces the same deleterious 

 effects when taken internally, and speedily occasions death, at- 

 tended with the same dreadful symptoms. Magnesia is likewise the 

 best antidote against this acid. 



Phosphoric and fluoric acids, sulphurous acid, phosphorous acid, 

 are all likewise poisonous; but as the chance of their being intro- 

 duced inadverttnily into the stomach is not great, it does not st-em 

 necessarv to dwell upon them. M. Orfihi likewise ranges oxalic 

 and tartaric acids among poisons ; but he gives uo instance of their 

 deleterious effects. , 



Vol. V. N° V. :: B 



