MINEEAL OK INOEGANIC POISONS 87 



as to the sources of arsenic (from sheep dip} or antimony 

 (from condition powders) in cases of poisoning by those 

 agents. 



EEFEEENCES TO SULPHUR. 



1 H. W. Percy, Vet. Jl., 1910, p. 29. 



2 Ales, Vet. Jl., 1907, p. 254. 



3 M. Hebrant, Vet. Becord, 1900, p. 167. 



• * Mosselman and Hebrant, Vet. Becord, 1898, p. 249. 



HALOGEN ELEMENTS AND THEIR COMPOUNDS. 



Forms and Oecurrence. — The halogen elements (ex- 

 cluding fluorine, which has no special interest to practical 

 toxicology) — namely, chlorine, bromine, and iodine — though 

 not found in the free condition in nature, are employed 

 in the arts to a limited extent, and free iodine is a valu- 

 able drug. Chlorine and bromine rank as amongst the 

 most chemically active elements, and are both, in the state 

 of vapour and diluted with air, most powerful disinfectant 

 agents. In Germany stable disinfection by evaporation of 

 bromine is practised. Neither the gaseous chlorine nor the 

 volatile liquid bromine is encountered outside special work, 

 and both are most dangerous substances to handle. Liquid 

 bromine has a most powerful corrosive action, destroying 

 the skin and mucous surfaces, and causing wounds which 

 heal with difficulty. The solutions in water — viz., chlm-ine 

 water and broviine water — find some application in pharmacy 

 as caustic disinfectants. 



Bleaching -powder {chloride of lime or calcium chloro- 

 hypochlorite) and sodium hypochlorite (or eau de Javelle), 

 the so-called chlorinated alkalis, owe their efficiency to the 

 ease with which they part with chlorine, and thus effect 

 oxidation. Bleaching powder is given internally to the 

 horse and ox in doses of 450 and 750 grains respectively, 

 and in proportionately smaller amounts to sheep. It must 

 be remembered that contact with acids, even when very 

 weak and dilute, generates free chlorine, and large doses 

 are therefore liable to cause injury. 



