POISONS. 213 



MINERAL POISONS. 



Co7^rosive sublimate, or oxymuriate of quicksilver, is a 

 most deadly and unmanageable poison to dogs, in doses as 

 small even as five or six grains. Its effects are observed 

 soon after it is taken, by the distress of the animal, by his 

 frequent retchings, insatiable thirst, panting, and anxiety 

 for a cool situation. The mouth becomes swollen — when 

 the dose has been large, it appears ulcerated, and emits a 

 very foetid odour, which circumstance forms a very strong 

 characteristic both with regard to the animal's having been 

 poisoned, and also to the article employed for the purpose. 

 As the symptoms advance, the retchings are tinged with 

 blood ; the stools become liquid and bloody also ; the pulse 

 is small and quick, the extremities become cold ; violent 

 tremblings, paralysis, or convulsions follow, and death re- 

 lieves the sufferer. On examination of the body afterwards, 

 the whole alimentary canal, beginning at the mouth and 

 proceeding backwards, exhibits marks of the corrosive na- 

 ture of the matter taken. The stomach, on being opened, 

 will appear covered with highly inflamed patches, and the 

 villous folds of its inner and rugose surface will present gan- 

 grenous and ulcerated spots, and a ready separation of the 

 mucous from the muscular coat, with blood often suffused 

 between them, which circumstances only take place when a 

 most acrid poison has been swallowed. The intestines also 

 shew appearances of great inflammation, particularly of their 

 inner surface, which will be found sprinkled with gangrenous 

 specks, and, moreover, frequently filled with a thick bloody 

 mucu:>. Such are the usual morbid appearances : but, satis- 

 factorily to detect the presence of a poison, and the immedi- 

 ate nature of it, some of the liquid contents of the stomach 

 and bowels, both before and after death, should be saved, 

 and undergo a rigid chemical analysis. In general cases, the 

 addition of potash to some of these liquid contents will occa- 

 sion a light yellow precipitate when corrosive sublimate has 



