ACTION OF POISONS ON THE ANIMAL SYSTEM. Q65 



found acting slowly and feebly, after the functions of the 



brain had entirely ceased. In the rabbit, the effects of the 



arsenic on the stomach and intestines were usually less than 



in carnivorous animals. 



The action of arsenic on the system is less simple than that Action of arse- 



of the majority of vepetable poisons. As it acts on different ^'^'^ ^'^^^ simple 



./ . f?„ ^ , - , , than that of 



organs, it occasions difterent oraers ot symptoms ; and as the mostvepctabla 



affection of one or another organ predominates, so there is some poisons. 



variety in the symptoms produced even in individual animals 



of the same species. 



In animals killed by arsenic the blood is usually found fluid Appearancei 

 in the heart and vessels after death j but otherwise all the ^^^" death, 

 morbid appearances met with on dissection are confined to the 

 stomach and intestines. As this is the case, and as the affec- 

 tion of these organs occasions remarkable symptoms, it may 

 be right to mention the result of my observations on this 

 subject. 



In many cases where death takes place, there is only a very state of the 

 slight degree of inflammation of the alimentary canal : in ahmentary ca- 

 other cases the inflammation is considerable. It generally 

 begins very soon after the poison is administered, and appears 

 greater or less, according to the time which elapses before the 

 animal dies. Under the same circumstances, it is less in gra- 

 minivorous, than in carnivorous animals. The inflammation is 

 greatest in the stomach and intestines ; but it usually extends 

 also over the whole intestine. I have never observed inflam- 

 mation of the opRophagus. The inflammation is greater in 

 degree, and more speedy in taking place, when arsenic is 

 applied to a wound, than when it is taken into the stomach. 

 The inflamed parts are in general universally red, at other 

 times they are red only in spots. The principal vessels leading 

 to the stomach and intestines are turgid with blood ; but the 

 inflammation is usually confined to the mucous membrane of 

 these viscera, which assumes a florid red colour, becomes soft 

 and pulpy, and is separable without much diflficulty from the 

 cellular coat, which has its natural appearance. In some in- 

 stances there are small spots of extravasated blood on the inner 

 surface of the mucous membrane, or between it and the 

 cellular coat, and this occurs independently of vomiting. I 

 have never, in any of my experiments, found ulceration or 



sloughing 



