ACTIOIT OP rOISONS ON THE ANIMAL SYSTEM. QQ^ 



to show what was considered as a slough produced by the 



action of arsenic. On examining this preparation, I found that 



the dark-coloured spot, which had been supposed to be a slough, 



was precisely of the same nature with that just described. 



Although the affection of the stomach and intestines from The afFection 



arsenic is not the cause of death under ordinary circumstances, " the stomach 



^ ' and intestines 



it is reasonable to conclude, that it may be so in some in- from arsemc 



stances, if the animal survives the effects produced on the ^"'V^^''""^'^'* 



^ ultimately, 



organs more immediately necessary to life. Mr. Henry^^^ 



Earle informed me of an instance, in which this appeared to b^-- 

 the case. A woman in St. Bartholomew's hospital, who 

 had taken arsenic, recovered of the immediate symptoms, but 

 died at the end of four or five days. On examination>^fter 

 death, extensive ulcerations were found of the mucous .Mem- 

 brane of the stomach and intestines, which we can hardly 

 doubt to have been the cause of death. 



It is an important matter of inquiry, as connected with judi- Important ju- 

 cial medicine, how far may the examination of the body, after H^wfar^is'if ' 

 death, enable us to decide, whether an animal has died of the possible to as- 

 effectsof arsenic ? On this subject, however, I have only a ,"g' ^^ ^^rlen^c 

 few remarks to make. from examina- 



The inflammation from arsenic, occupying in general the jj^J ^J^^^''"** 

 whole of the stomach and intestine, is more extensive than that 

 from any other poison with which I am acqufainted. It does 

 not affect the pharynx or oesophagus, and this circumstance 

 distinguishes it from the inflammation which is occasioned by 

 the actual contact of irritating applications. 



But little in general is to be learnt from the examination of 

 the contents of the stomach after death. When arsenic has 

 been taken in substance, small particles of it are frequently 

 found entangled in the mucus, or in the extravasated blood; 

 but. where this was not the case, I have never known, in an 

 animal that was capable of vomiting, that arsenic could be 

 detected in the contents of the stomach after death, though 

 •examined by the most accurate chemical tests. As some sub- 

 stances when taken internally are separated from the blood 

 very soon afterward with the urine, I thought it probable, that 

 arsenic might be separated with the urine also ; but Mr. Brande 

 (to whom I am indebted for assistance on ibis, as well as on 



many 



