Gastro- Enteritis from Caustic Alkalies. 269 



blood in the vessels is of a dark red, coagulates imperfectly and 

 the blood globules are dissolved changing the color to black, and 

 then brownish red. Prior to death there is great distress, saliva- 

 tion, inability to swallow, swollen tongue, frequent pulse and 

 respiration, cough, spasms, and sometimes the odor of ammonia. 

 Retching and vomiting may be a feature in carnivora and omni- 

 vora, and diarrhoea if the case is not promptly fatal. The urine 

 is not rendered alkaline. White fumes with muriatic acid indi- 

 cate ammonia. 



Ammonia Carbonate gives rise to the same symptoms and 

 lesions with the exception that there is less corrosion of the 

 mucosa, and no pure ammonia exhales in the breath. 



Caustic Potash, Lye. Lethal dose, 5 grs. dog intravenous. 

 In strong solution this is one of the most potent caustics, which 

 penetrates deeply into the tissues and abstracting water cauterizes 

 everything with which it comes in contact. It therefore pro- 

 duces the most destructive changes on the walls of the stomach, 

 and intestines, with violent gastro-enteritis, retching or vomiting 

 of alkaline matters. The congested, ashen and even black color 

 of the tongue, and (post mortem) of the gullet, stomach and 

 intestines, and the intense alkalinity of contents are characteristic. 

 The blood is fluid, gelatiniform, and blackish red. Later, ero- 

 sions and strictures are common. 



Caustic Soda is only less destructive than potash, and pro- 

 duces the same general lesions and symptoms. 



The Carbonates of Potash and Soda have the same general 

 properties only they act with very much less energy. Potassium 

 can be recognized by its purple color in an alcohol or Bunsen 

 flame and sodium by an intense yellow. 



Treatment. Weak acids (acetic, vinegar, citric, malic, lactic, 

 boric, benzoic, salicylic) or the stronger mineral acids largely 

 diluted. Mucilaginous solutions (flaxseed, elm bark, gruel, 

 mallow). Anodynes (opium). 



