266 



ACTION OF POISONS ON THE ANIMAL SYSTEM. 



sloughing of the stomach or intestine j but if the animal sur- 

 vives for a certain length of time after the inflammation has 

 begun, it is reasonable to conclude, that it may terminate in 

 one or other of these ways, 

 Sloughing sel- I am disposed to believe, that sloughing is very seldom. If 



dom, if ever, e^,gr, the direct consequence of the application of arsenic to the 



the direct con- > 



sequence of the Stomach or intestines. Arsenic applied to an ulcer will occa- 



appiicationof gion a slough ; but its action in doing this is very slow. When 

 arsenic to the ^ , v j , , . . , ^ . , , , 



stomach or in- ^ "^^^ applied the white oxide of arsenic to a wound, though 



testines. the animal has sometimes lived three or four hours afterward, 



and though violent inflammation has taken place in the sto- 

 mach and intestines, I have never seen any preternatural ap- 

 pearance in the part to which it was applied, except a slight 

 effusion of serum into the cellular membrane. Arsenic speedily 

 produces a very copious secretion of mucus and watery fluid 

 from the stomach and intestines, which separates it from actual 

 contact with the inner surface of these organs, even though 

 taken in large quantity and in substance ; and in animals which 

 are capable of vomiting, by much the greater part is rejected 

 from the stomach very soon after it has been taken in. Hence 

 though a {qw particles of arsenic are sometimes found en- 

 tangled in the mucus, or in the coagulum of extravasated 

 blood, and adhering to the inner surface of the stomach, I have 

 never seen it in such a quantity as might be supposed capable 

 of producing a slough. In one instance, where a dog had 

 swallowed a large quantity of arsenic in substance, a brown 

 spot, about an inch in diameter, was observed after death on 

 the inner surface of the cardiac extremity of the stomach, 

 having so much of the appearance of a slough that at first I 

 had no doubt of its being so ; but on exannnation this proved 

 to be only a thin layer of dark-coloured coagulum of blood, 

 adhering very firmly to the surface of the mucous mem- 

 brane, and having a few particles of arsenic entangled in it. 

 On removing this the mucous membrane still appeared of a 

 dark colour ; but this was also found to arise from a thin 

 layer of coagulum of blood between it and the cellular coat. 

 The mucous membrane itself was inflamed ; but otherwise in 

 a natural state. I have observed a similar appearance, but oc- 

 cupying a less extent of surface, several times. In the Huri- 

 terian Museum there is a human stomach, which was preserved 



to show- 



Supposed 

 sloughs from 

 its action on 

 the stomach. 



