1863.] 557 



face became of a leaden blue colour, the lips and gums looked as if 

 tbe patients had been eating black currants, and the nails also 

 acquired a purple hue. The colour faded a little before the time 

 came for the administration of another dose, but soon after taking it 

 it appeared again ; and this was the subject of constant observation. 

 Dr. Fraser and Dr. Davies have recorded the results of their experi- 

 ence in five cases *, from which it would seem that, although the free 

 alkali is a powerful poison, the sulphate of it has but little action 

 upon the animal body. 



The general conclusions which appear to me to be warranted by 

 these investigations are : 



1st. That nitrobenzole and aniline in its free state are powerful 

 narcotic poisons. 



2nd. That they exert but little action, as local irritants, on the 

 stomach and bowels. 



3rd. That although the effects may be quick, and the fatal ter- 

 mination of them rapid, yet nitrobenzole may remain in the system 

 for a long time without manifesting its action. 



4th. That the salts of aniline are not nearly so poisonous as the 

 free alkali. 



5th. That in rapid cases of fatal poisoning, both the poisons are 

 readily discovered in the dead body. 



6th. That in slow cases the poisons may be entirely changed or 

 eliminated, and therefore not recognizable. 



7th. That both of the poisons appear to be changed in the 

 body by processes of oxidation and reduction, nitrobenzole being 

 changed into aniline, and aniline and its salts into mauve c-r 

 magenta. 



In an appendix f are given notes of the two cases of fatal poison- 

 ing by nitrobenzole referred to in the paper, and a detailed account 

 of twelve experiments on animals with nitrobenzole, and three with 

 aniline ; also the process employed for the recognition of aniline and 

 nitrobenzole in the dead body, as follows : 



1st. The matters to be analysed were bruised in a mortar with a 

 little water, and very slightly acidulated with dilute sulphuric acid. 



* Medical Times and Gazette, March 8th, 1862, p. 239. 

 t Preserved in the Archives. 



