198 



TOXICOLOGICAL CHART. 



most violent attack of colic ; pain on pres- 

 sure being applied over the abdomen ; fre- 

 quent attempts to dung and stale ; and, after 

 the faeces have been voided, a discharge of 

 mucus streaked with blood takes place : 

 tenesmus, pulse quick and feeble, prostra- 

 tion of strength, profuse perspiration, cold- 

 ness of the body, and death, after the ani- 

 mal has endured excruciating agonies. 



Li one case related to me, nitric acid was 

 poured into the ear, and death took place 

 from inflammation extending to the mem- 

 branes of the brain. 



Treatment. — As the general symptoms 

 of poisoning by the liquid mineral acids do 

 not materially differ, neither will the general 

 treatment. This will consist, 1st, In dilut- 

 ing the agent by throwing into the stom- 

 ach large quantities of water by means of 

 Read's pump. 2d, In neutralizing it, by 

 suspending in the water chalk, magnesia, or 

 soap ; or, in the absence of these, the plaster 

 from the walls. 3d, In allaying the su- 

 pervening inflammation by means of blood- 

 letting, should the urgency of the symp- 

 toms demand it ; and also by the adminis- 

 tration of opium, and a free use of demul- 

 cents. The subsequent nervous debility 

 and prostration of strength are to be com- 

 batted by the milder vegetable tonics, and 

 a gradual return to liberal diet. 



Morbid Appearances. — The mouth, pha- 

 rynx, and esophagus, present traces of the 

 action of the peculiar acid. The stomach 

 is distended with gas, and occasionally 

 lined with its disorganized tissue, which is 

 eroded in patches, and so deeply ulcerated 

 as to form perforations. Intense inflam- 

 mation often exists in this viscus, which 

 extends throughout the whole of the intes- 

 tinal tube, involving its peritoneal tunic; 

 this last circumstance has been thought to 

 be distinctive between poisoning by acids 

 and metallic compounds ; this cannot, how- 

 ever, be relied upon. The blood in the 

 larger vessels sometimes forms a firm clot. 

 These appearances will not be so marked 

 when an acid has been given in small doses 

 for some time, or if much diluted we may 



then expect to find the coats of the stom- 

 ach and intestines thickened and contracted, 

 the result of chronic inflammation, with 

 here and there eroded spots, but not of any 

 depth. 



Tests. — General. — Sour taste — neu- 

 tralization by the alkalies — effervescing 

 with the carbonates — reddening of litmus 

 paper. 



Particular. — Sulphuric Acid. — The parts 

 with which it comes in contact are first 

 whitened, and then changed to a brownish 

 color. By macerating them or the con- 

 tents of the stomach in distilled water, fil- 

 tering, and adding a solution of the nitrate 

 of barptes, an insoluble precipitate, the sul- 

 phate of bari/tes, is obtained. 



Nitric Acid. — The tissues changed of a 

 yellow color, which is heightened by am- 

 monia. The filtered solution boiled on 

 copper flings in a test tube emits orange- 

 colored fumes of nitrous acid. Potassa be- 

 ing added to it, by evaporation a salt is ob- 

 tained, wiiich deflagrates ; or a piece of 

 bibulous paper may be saturated with the 

 solution, dried, and inflamed. 



Hydrochloric Acid. — Tissues blanched. 

 Its fumes are rendered more manifest by a 

 rod dipped in ammonia being held in them. 

 This test, however, we are rarely able to 

 avail ourselves of. On the addition of 

 nitrate of silver to the solution, it gives a 

 white precipitate, the chloride of silver. 



AGENT. 



ACIDUM OXALICUM. 



Oxalic Acid. 



Bymptoms. — Instances are recorded of 

 horses having been poisoned by this acid, 

 but whether maliciously given, or adminis- 

 tered by mistake for the sulphate of mag- 

 nesia, I cannot say. The symptoms atten- 

 dant on its action, when a concentrated 

 solution is given, will not be dissimilar to 

 those produced by the mineral acids. When 

 diluted, however, it is said to cause death 

 by palsying the heart and nervous system, 

 or by inducing tetanus or narcotism ; but I 



