MINEEAL OK INOEGANIC POISONS 85 



and estimated by the aid of the numerous and well-known 

 tests for those substances. 



REFERENCES TO NITRATES. 



» S. M. Smith, Vet. Record, 1898, p. 85. 



2 Abstract, Vet. Jl., 1892, p. 97. 



^ Abstract, VetermarioM, 1870, p. 635. 



* Batchelder, Veterinarian, 1869, p. 98. 



* Surginson, Veterinairiam, 1838, p. 85. 



* Sanssol, Veterinarian, 1836, p. 530. 



SULPHUR. 



In large doses sulphur is poisonous, cases of death in the 

 horse and dog being on record. 



Impure sulphur is liable to contain arsenic and free 

 sulphuric acid ; but the poisoning is not to be attributed 

 to these, for in one case sulphur which had caused the 

 death of horses was proved by analysis to be free of these 

 impurities. 



Free sulphur is unacted upon by the acid gastric juices, 

 but in the intestines it is to a small extent converted into 

 the soluble and absorbable alkali sulphides, and is further 

 reduced to sulphuretted hydrogen, which enters into the 

 circulation, so that not only is sulphuretted hydrogen 

 given off per rectum, but also may be detected in the 

 exhaled air. 



It is to be remarked that sulphuretted hydrogen is in- 

 tensely poisonous, an atmosphere containing 1 per 1,000 

 of that gas being held to be rapidly fatal to man. 



The formation and absorption of these products no doubt 

 accounts for the nervous effects of sulphur poisoning, which, 

 for the rest, is characterized by the production of super- 

 purgation and its attendant weakness and collapse. 



Toxic Doses. — The purgative dose for the horse and ox 

 is given by Kaufmann as from 7 to 14 ounces. In one 

 case^ horses were killed by 8 ounces each, in a second* by 

 10 ounces each, and in a third ^ by 10 to 14 ounces each. 



