ACCIDENTAL POISONING. 4II 
CHAPTER III. 
ACCIDENTAL POISONING. 
ArseEnic is rarely given intentionally for the purpose of poisoning, but 
now and then it is taken up by dogs in some of the various preparations 
intended for rats. 
It is irritant-narcotic in its action; and the symptoms manifested usually 
begin to appear in the course of an hour after it has been taken into the stom- 
ach. They are as follows: Depression of spirits and general weakness; heat 
of the throat or a burning pain, that causes constant hawking; great thirst ; 
redness and some swelling of the mucous membrane which covers the tongue 
and lines the mouth ; severe pain in the stomach; enlargement of the abdomen, 
which is also drawn tight and hard, and painful to the touch; violent retching 
and vomiting ; diarrhcea attended with much straining and discharges of blood 
or brown-colored matter; great restlessness; and quickened breathing. In 
cases which terminate fatally the symptoms all grow rapidly worse; prostra- 
tion becomes more and more pronounced; ere long the skin, at first hot, is 
cold and clammy ; the pulse is small and frequent; convulsions usually set in, 
and are often followed by paralysis; finally death results; and in most cases it 
comes in the course of twenty-four hours, although in rare instances the suffer- 
ings are ended within an hour, while in cases still more rare they are prolonged 
for a week or more. There is considerable variation in the symptoms of 
arsenical poisoning, but the foregoing are the most constant and marked. 
The antidote for arsenic, which neutralizes the poison and renders it harm- 
less, is the hydrated oxide of iron. Could this be obtained and administered 
without any delay, recovery might invariably take place speedily in all cases 
of arsenical poisoning. But it is seldom at hand; moreover, even were a 
chemist only a short distance away, he would require time to prepare the 
remedy, for it ought to be fresh, consequently ere sufficient quantities could be 
forced into the dog the poison must have done much baneful work. 
As the materials for making this antidote are kept in most large kennels, 
it will often be easy to prepare it at home; and the method of procedure 
should be as follows: 
Put into a bowl half a cupful of the tincture of the chloride of iron. Fol- 
low it with one quart of water, and stir well with a stick. To one-fourth of a 
