SCIENCE OF COMMON THINGS, 309 



What is a poison ? Arsenic. Certainty of its detection. 



Because it contains very little albumen, and much, 

 muscular fibre, 



1994 What is a poison f 



A poison is any agent capable of producing a dan- 

 gerous effect upon anything endowed with life. 



1995 In cases of poisoning by substances taken into the stomach, what 

 course should be pursued, in the absence ofmedioal attendance? 



The first step is to evacuate the stomach by means 

 of powerful emetics, and when vomiting has taken 

 place, warm water and the white of eggs may almost 

 always be given with advantage. 



1996 Can poisons administered for criminal purposes be almost 

 certainly detected? 



They can ; chemical science within the last few 

 years has made such advances, that the most minute 

 quantities of all the best known poisons can be detected 

 with certainty long after death. 



There is no poison so liable and certain to be found as arsenic, and in 

 almost every case of poisoning with mineral poisons, science is enabled to 

 detect the substance, even when life has been extinct for years, and the 

 body nearly decomposed. 



1997 What is arsenic? 



Metallic arsenic is an exceedingly brittle metal, of a 

 steel-grey color. It vaporizes, when heated, with a 

 strong odor of garlic, a property not possessed by any 

 other metal. 



The substance used as poison, and sometimes known as ratsbane, is 

 arsenious acid, a compound of arsenic and oxygen. Arsenious acid has 

 the form and appearance of a fine white powder. 



1998 What is the best remedy in cases of poisoning with arsenic f 



The hydrated peroxide of iron (iron rust)* is con- 

 gidered the best remedy. 



1999 Is lead a poison ? 



* The following is the best method for preparing this substance: 

 Take common copperas (sulphate of iron) four ounces ; dissolve in warm 

 water in a glass, or porcelain dish, and add a small quantity of sulphuric 

 &cid, and afterwards ammonia solution, so long as a dense red precipitate 

 is formed. This precipitate carefully strained off, and thoroughly washed 

 jn a filter with water, is hydrated peroxide of iron. So long as kept 

 jnoist, it may be preserved for a great length of time. 



