80 Remarks upon Arsenic. 
follows; (which I have convinced myself is correct.) “That the 
taches obtained from phosphite and sulphite of ammonia and tur- 
pentine, differ from those of arsenic—Ist. By being but partially 
“soluble in cold nitric acid, and 2d. By the nitric acid solution 
when evaporated to dryness, giving with nitrate of a a a 
low and not a red precipitate.” 
MM. Danger and Flandin, and still later the committee so 
often referred to, have examined also the bones, but were no 
more successful in tracing the presence of arsenic in them than 
they were in the case of the muscles. M. Orfila, one of the first 
who stated that they did contain arsenic, is no longer of his origi- 
nal opinion; so that at present the question of the existence of 
normal arsenic in the animal economy, is resolved in the nega- 
tive; and happy it is for the medico-legalist that he is not embar- 
rassed on that point. I may also add that humanity should re- 
joice at it, for did arsenic exist in the body normally, and was it 
generally known, its use as a destructive agent would be consid- 
erably extended, and those using it in a criminal way, might very 
justly suppose, that if they were suspected and tried, nothing 
would be easier for an ingenious attorney, than to snatch him 
from the hands of justice, by forcing certain doubts from the 
most skillful medico-legalist ; but whereas, as the question now 
stands, facts are too easily brought to light and too well substan-, 
tiated, that a doubt should be left upon the mind of any one. 
There have been many other taches mentioned, but as they all 
except one, depend upon the liquid of the apparatus being thrown 
out by the gas upon the cooling surface, where any metallic salt 
that it may contain is subsequently decomposed by the hydrogen, 
no notice shall be taken of them, as the tube D (in the apparatus 
figured) prevents altogether, any thing of the kind happening. 
The tache excepted is that produced, when we use a surface 
whose glaze contains lead or tin in considerable quantity; the 
flame of the hydrogen reduces these metals at that point of the 
surface upon which it is directed, and gives rise to a tache more 
or less brilliant, although very easily distinguished from that of 
arsenic od non-volatile, and insoluble in nitric acid. : 
As regards the tache produced by antimony, there is nothing 
be said ; ‘bias we treat the matter for examination by sulphu- 
rie and nitrie acids, mS aoc it be present, is converted into 
uble in water; so there is no-dan- 
