TOXICOLOGY. 347 



the country. When given in excessive doses it is generally 

 through ignorance, but in rare instances may be adminis- 

 tered with criminal intent. 



The drug is usually given in bolus^ made up with soap, 

 tar, or sulphur, or indeed with any suitable substance. 

 Sometimes it is administered as a powder in the food or 

 water. 



Symptoms and Post-Mortem Appearances. — The fol- 

 lowing accounts will serve to indicate some of the more 

 important symptoms and post-mortem appearances of 

 arsenical poisoning in the horse. We propose to draw- 

 attention, firstly, to an outbreak which occurred on a Thurs- 

 day morning, some time ago, on a large farm on the Wolds, 

 near Louth. 



When called in, at 3 a.m., four cart-horses were found 

 to be in a very dangerous state. They were fine heavy 

 animals, in excellent condition, and on the previous day 

 had shown no signs whatever of ill-health. Their restless- 

 ness first attracted attention about 12 or 1 a.m. When 

 examined, they were observed to be breathing rapidly, the 

 respirations varying from 30 to 40 per minute. The arteries 

 were in a state of extreme contraction ; the submaxillary 

 artery, indeed, feeling like a mere thread. The rate, also, 

 was much accelerated; in one case, the pulse reached 108 ; 

 in another, 96 ; in a third, 80 per minute ; while in a 

 fourth it was entirely imperceptible. The weakness and 

 irregularity of the pulse were very marked. The tempera- 

 ture varied : the highest was 105-5° ; and in the other 

 three it reached 104°, 102-5°, and 101*8° respectively. 

 All four animals were purging violently, with extreme 

 tenesmus, and they were in great pain. They got up and 

 down alternately, rolled over and over, and manifested 

 other signs of intense agony. Their extremities were cold, 

 and the visible mucous membranes injected. The eyes 



