MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS. 5 1 



Toxicology. — All mineral acids when swallowed in concen- 

 trated form, immediately produce retching with vomiting, in 

 those that can vomit, the material vomited is acid, often dark, 

 viscid and bloody and contains shreds of mucous membrane, the 

 lips, mouth, and fauces are red, inflamed and swollen, stained 

 black if from sulphuric acid, yellow or tan if from nitric, and 

 whitish or pale yellow if from hydrochloric acid. From irritation 

 and swelling of the throat, breathing is difficult and death. may 

 ensue from suffocation, great abdominal pain, rapidly increasing 

 prostration, and death in from I to 24 hours. Post-mortem ex- 

 amination will show the characteristic stains of the different 

 acids, erosions of mucous membrane which will also be soft, 

 swollen and inflamed, and possibly perforations of the stomach. 



Death may be due to overcoming the alkalinity of the blood. 



Antidotes. — Alkaline bicarbonates, chalk or carbonate of 

 magnesia, given in milk, in small quantities, at short intervals. 

 Demulcents are subsequently administered, such as oil, slippery- 

 elm tea, cream, etc. Tracheotomy may have to be performed 

 where there is danger of death clue to swelling of air passages. 



For sulphuric acid poisoning, no water should be given, but 

 white of eggs or oil with above alkalies in them. 



Medicinal Uses. — Sulphuric acid is prescribed internally as a 

 tonic and astringent, in chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, it is 

 usually given with tincture of opium, in flour or starch gruel, 

 and is given in purpura hemorrhagica with other tonics, such as 

 cinchona, nux vomica, etc. 



In ulcerated sore throat use about § ss to § i of the dilute acid 

 to a pint of water ; it arrests excessive perspiration, corrects gas- 

 tric derangement and diarrhoea in milk fed animals and whey 

 fed pigs. Also used for haemorrhoids, and antidote for poison- 

 ing by lead, carbolic acid, and alkalies. 



For diarrhcea and dysentery : 



# Ac. Sulphuric Arom. 



Tr. Opii. 



Spts. Camph. aa. $ vj. 



M. Sig. — iyi ounces every 2 hours in */i pint flour gruel. 



Local Uses. — To touch up ulcers, gangrene, remove warts, 



haemorrhoids, fungous growths, mild wash in itching skin disease, 



y 2 ounce, to water 1 pint. Sulphuric acid penetrates deeper into 



the tissues than nitric acid ; when used externally always grease 



