INORGANIC POISONS. 381 



with 30,000 parts of water, it is in the state in which 

 it is contained in muscular fibre or blood in the 

 human body. 100 grains of fibrin in this condition 

 would form a neutral compound of equal equivalents 

 with 3^ grains of arsenious acid, and 5 grains of 

 corrosive sublimate. 



The atomic weight of the albumen of eggs and of 

 the blood deduced from the analysis of the compound 

 which it forms with oxide of silver is 7447, and that 

 of animal g-elatin 5652. 



100 grains of albumen containing all the water 

 with which it is combined in the living body, should 

 consequently combine with 1^ grain of arsenious 

 acid. 



These proportions, which may be considered as 

 the highest which can be adopted, indicate the re- 

 markably high atomic weights of animal substances, 

 and at the same time teach us, what very small quan- 

 tities of arsenious acid or corrosive sublimate are 

 requisite to produce deadly effects. 



All substances administered as antidotes in cases 

 of poisoning, act by destroying the power which 

 arsenious acid and corrosive sublimate possess, of 

 entering into combination with animal matters, and 

 of thus acting as poisons. Unfortunately no other 

 body surpasses them in that power, and the com- 

 pounds which they form can only be broken up by 

 affinities so energetic, that their action is as injuri- 

 ous as that of the above-named poisons themselves. 

 The duty of the physician consists, therefore, in his 

 causing those parts of the poison which may be free 

 and still uncombined, to enter into combination with 

 some other body, so as to produce a compound inca- 

 pable of being decomposed or digested in the same 

 conditions. Hydrated peroxide of iron is an inval- 

 uable substance for this purpose.* 



When the action of arsenious acid or corrosive 

 sublimate is confined to the surface of an organ, 



* On the preparation, &c., of this antidote, see Appendix. 



