Poisoning by Sodium Chloride. 267 



gastric and intestinal mucosa, colics, emesis in vomiting animals. 

 It may kill by suddenly arresting the heart's action. 



Treatment for the acids consists in alkaline or basic antidotes ; 

 magnesia, or its carbonate, lime, or its carbonate, soapsuds, car- 

 bonates and bicarbonates of potash and soda. Lime water is the 

 one appropriate antidote to oxalic acid, precipitating the insolu- 

 ble oxalate. Mucilaginous drinks may be added freely. 



POISONING BY SODIUM CHLORIDE. 



Poisonous with privation of water. Dose : horse, ox, pig, dog, hen. 

 Symptoms: anorexia,' thirst, emesis, colics, diarrhoea, dysuria, weakness, 

 spasms, palsy, death in six hours to two days or more. Lesions : gastric 

 congestion, ecchymosis, blood fluid, bright red, cerebral congestion. Treat- 

 ment : emesis, water, demulcents, enemata, oils, cold to head. Brine : 

 salt, ptomaines, toxins, from salt meat and fish. Strongest at three months 

 old. Dose, horse, pig dog. Symptoms : nervous, disorder, mainly spas- 

 modic. Lesions : congestion of encephalon. Treatment : anodynes, 

 stimulants, wine, camphor. 



Common salt is especially irritant if given in concentrated solu- 

 tion and with subsequent deprivation, of water. The poisonous 

 dose for the horse is 2 to 3 lbs. (Gohier), for cattle 4 to 5 lbs. 

 (Hertwig), for the pig 7 to 8 ozs. and for the dog 6 to 7 ozs. 

 Chickens are poisoned by picking up broken pieces of salt in- 

 stead of pebbles, or by salted food. 



Symptoms. Anorexia, inten.se thirst, dullness, eme.sis in 

 vomiting animals, colics, watery diarrhoea, frequent urination, 

 mu.scular weakne.ss, .spasms, paralysis, weak pulse, red buccal 

 mucosa, dilated pupils. Death may take place in .six hours or it 

 may be delayed two days or longer. In chickens giddiness and 

 rotary movements are common. 



Lesions. Congestion of the stomach and intestines with points 

 of ecchymosis. The mucosa of the bladder is reddened. The 

 blood is fluid and of a bright red. There is more or less con- 

 gestion of the cerebellum and medulla and their meninges. 



Treatment. Emetics (tepid water, tickling fauces) and the 

 stomach pump. Abundance of water or of mucilaginous drinks. 



