206 



TOXICOLOGICAL CHART. 



hydrogen. Its sources otherwise are abund- 

 ant. In a state of dilution it causes coma ; 

 when pure, spasm of the glottis, and death 

 by asphyxia. 



Treatment. — Removal to the air ; cold 

 affusions over the body; bloodletting; dif- 

 fusible stimulants. 



Morbid Appearances. — Engorgement of 

 the vessels of the lungs with black blood. 

 The v^^ssels of the brain and of the heart 

 are in a similar state. The bronchi and 

 trachea filled with frothy mucus. 



Tests. — The tests for carbonic acid gas 

 are simple enough, but here they are inap- 

 plicable. 



A GENT. 



SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN. 



Symptoms. — This gas, given off from 

 cesspools and other places, has been at 

 times the cause of death. It is rapidly ab- 



sorbed by the blood, and produces coma 

 and tetanic convulsions. Sometimes death 

 takes place from asphyxia. 



Treatment. — The same as the above ; 

 to which, perhaps, may be added the inha- 

 lation of dilute chlorine. 



Morbid Appearances. — The muscles have 

 lost their power of contractility. The 

 blood-vessels are gorged with fluid black 

 blood; the bronchial tubes inflamed, with 

 increased secretion of mucus both in them 

 and the trachea ; the odor from the body is 

 highly offensive. 



Tests. — Carbonate of Lead on a piece 

 of card paper, exposed to an atmosphere 

 impregnated with this gas, is tm-ned black 

 by the formation of the sulphur et of lead; 

 but as the body when undergoing decom- 

 position emits the same kind of gas, this 

 test can only be accepted as a corrobora- 

 tive proof. 



III. — NARCOTICO-ACRID POISONS. 



These cause Death, either by irritation or narcotism, and sometimes by both combined. 

 Their influence is first local and then remote, impressing the Nervous System. They 

 are principally derived from the Vegetable Kingdom. 



AGENT. 



NUX VOMICA ET STRYCHNIA. 



Vomic Nut and Strychnia. 



Symptoms. — The vomic nut induces a 

 quickened and irritable pulse, highly la- 

 bored respiration, snortings, tetanic spasms, 

 loss of muscular power, injection of the 

 mucous tissues, extreme thirst, and death 

 from asphyxia ; previous to which there is 

 intense suffering. The action of its alka- 

 loid, strychnia, is more energetic. It is 

 shown by tremors, followed by a quickness 

 of the pulse and labored respiration, ex- 

 treme irritability, loss of power in the ex- 

 tremities, tetanic convulsions increasing in 

 violence, the legs being thrust from the 

 body, the muscles rigid, opisthotonus, pro- 

 fuse perspiration, insensibility, and the 



pulse and respiration being scarcely percep- 

 tible ; the paroxysm exists for a few min- 

 utes only, and is followed by a remission 

 of the symptoms, leaving the animal much 

 exhausted and extremely irritable. The 

 exacerbations, however, continue until death 

 takes place from suffocation. 



Treatment. — From the tenacity with 

 which the powder of the nut adheres to the 

 stomach and intestines, it is with difficulty 

 dislodged. Its removal may be attempted 

 by means of active purgatives, or antidotes 

 may be thrown in ; these consist of chlo- 

 rine and of iodine, which form inert com- 

 pounds with the active principle, strychnia ; 

 but, as the action of the alkaloid is on the 

 spinal marrow and the brain, little good can 

 be hoped to be obtained when a dose suf- 

 ficiently large to destroy life has been given, 



