INTRODUCTION 25 



It is manifestly quite impossible to state general symptoms 

 by means of whicb a case may be diagnosed as one of 

 poisoning. Nevertheless, certain observations on the chief 

 symptoms produced by common poisons may be of value. 



(a) Alimentary symptoms comprise — Salivation, foaming, 

 colic, retching, vomition, purgation (which may be bloody), 

 bloody extravasation of the mouth, tongue, jaws, and 

 fauces. 



(6) Circulatory symptoms comprise — Accelerated or 

 retarded throbbing or feeble heart-beat ; hard, imper- 

 ceptible or weak, irregular pulse ; cold or hot dry skin ; 

 sweating. 



(c) Respiratory symptoms comprise — Accelerated, re- 

 tarded, intermittent breathing, with groaning, rattling, or 

 gasping. 



{d) Motor symptoms comprise — Trembling, quivering, 

 cramp, stiffness or twisting of the neck, locking of jaws, 

 epileptiform or convulsive seizures, paralysis of the hind or 

 all the limbs, loss of feeling or great irritability of the skin. 



(e) Cerebral symptoms comprise — Fear ; shrinking on 

 disturbance; frenzy and delirium, or dejection; hanging of 

 the head ; drowsiness ; loss of sensibility and coma. 



(/) Other symptoms are contraction or dilatation of the 

 pupil, the eye being protruded or retracted in orbit ; a fixed, 

 anxious look ; staring coat ; suspension of lactation ; re- 

 pression or incontinence of urine, which may contain blood, 

 albumin, bile or excreted' substances, such as phenol 

 derivatives in carbolic poisoning. The breath also may 

 contain recognisable traces of volatile substances, especially 

 hydrocyanic acid, and the mucous membrane of the mouth 

 may show characteristic staining or erosion. 



TREATMENT. 



Since the particular poison causing a given illness is 

 usually unknown, it becomes important to attempt to answer 

 the question, What should be done in a case of ^suspected 



