﻿4 THOMSON, Presence of Arsenic in the Body. 



iooo parts, then, after deducting for the normal amount 

 of arsenic trioxide (As 4 6 ) contained in the normal urine, 

 the samples collected after the dose was taken contain the 

 following number of parts : — 



Passed after 



Quantity 



of the 



Sample. 



Per Gallon. 



Total quantity 

 eliminated in Parts 



of the 

 1000 Parts taken. 



i hour. 



7 hours, 

 16 „ 

 19 » 

 23 » 



6 ozs. 

 9 11 



7 11 



4 11 



5 11 



eJoth of a grain. 



30 Lil " 11 



1 th 



1 th 



1 th 

 TWO 111 »' " 



1-25 parts. 

 90-94 „ 

 4i'57 11 

 I4'38 11 

 14*06 ,, 



Total amount eliminated in 23 hours 



16220 parts. 



i.e., about 16 per cent, of the total quantity taken. The 

 sixth and last sample was taken 47 hours after taking the 

 dose, and this contained yo^th of a grain of arsenic 

 trioxide per gallon, which was the quantity found previous 

 to making the experiment. 



If arsenic can be so rapidly eliminated from the 

 system, it is remarkable how such a large quantity came 

 to be found in the urine of the patient above mentioned, 

 whilst living on simple food during 13 days, and without 

 any recognisable source of pollution. 



It occurred to me that the arsenic found in the urine 

 of people who lived simply, and took no alcoholic liquors, 

 must arise from breathing the air of large towns. I 

 therefore asked Dr. Henry Ashby, of Manchester, if he 



