GASTRO ENTERITIS FROM CAUSTIC ACIDS. 



Sulphuric acid, corrodes, blackens, dysphagia, salivation, retching, vomit- 

 ing, colics, collapse. Lesions. Test, barium nitrate. Nitric acid, corrodes, 

 stains yellow, or brown. Test, reddish fumes with copper and sul- 

 phuric acid. Muriatic acid, corrodes, whitens. Test, chlorine odor, white, 

 curdy precipitate with silver nitrate. Oxalic acid, colic, emesis of black 

 bloody matter, gastric mucosa red or black, blood bright red, lowered res- 

 piration, innervation, temperature. Acetic acid, congestion, softening of 

 gastric mucosa, may stop heart. Treatment : weak bases, magnesia, lime or 

 their carbonates, soap, lime water, demulcents. 



Sulphuric Acid. This acts on stomach and intestine as on 

 the mouth abstracting water and blackening the tissues. It pro- 

 duces dysphagia, salivation, retching, vomiting in carnivora and 

 omnivora, colics, and collapse. Sometimes the urine becomes 

 albuminous and bloody. The post mortem blackness of the con- 

 tents and walls of the stomach and intestine and their intense 

 acidity are characteristic. Nitrate of baryta will precipitate the 

 insoluble sulphate. 



Nitric Acid. In concentrated state this acts in the main like 

 the sulphuric acid, but stains the lips yellow, and the mucosae 

 white changing to citron yellow or brown and does not precipi- 

 tate baryta. It gives reddish fumes with copper and strong sul- 

 phuric acid. 



Muriatic Acid. This is less caustic than nitric or sulphuric 

 acid, and may be recognized by its white cauterized patches on 

 the mucosa of the mouth, stomach and intestines, its chlorine 

 odor, and the curdy precipitate which it throws down with silver 

 nitrate. It does not corrode the skin. In the stomach this acid 

 is normally present in the free state. 



Oxalic Acid. Lethal dose, dog 15 grs., cat 2 grs. "When 

 swallowed this causes colics, emesis in vomiting animals, the 

 rejected matters being black and perhaps bloody. After death 

 the gastric contents and walls and those of the bowels are con- 

 gested and more or less blackened, and the blood of a bright red 

 color. Heart is arythmic, respiration slow, paresis of limbs, 

 spasms, temperature subnormal. 



Acetic Acid. This causes congestion and softening of the 

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