1839.] Objects of Research in Afghanistan. 147 



9. Is the dialect of the Kohistanis of Kabulistan a peculiar one, or 

 related to the Lawghans, or that of the inhabitants of Kaferstan ? 



10. The Kirdhkis mentioned by Mr. Elphinstone as forming part of 

 the population of Eastern Kabulistan, speak an Indian dialect ; is this 

 dialect nearly related to Punjab ? and are the Kirdhkis to be regarded 

 as emigrants from India in comparatively modern times, or remains 

 of the ancient Hindu population ? As far down as to the times of 

 Mahmud of Ghazna it may be shown, that the inhabitants of Kabul- 

 istan were Indians, and most probably direct descendants of the Gur- 

 ves, Ascadars and Gandars spoken of by the ancients. 



Art. V. — On the detection of Arsenical Poisons by Marsh's process — 

 its inapplicability to the Sulphurets of Arsenic — and the mode of 

 obviating the fallacy occasioned by Antimonial Compounds. By 

 W. B. O'Shaughnessy, M. D. Acting Joint- Secretary to the Asiatic 

 Society. 



In December, 1836, I exhibited to a large party at Government 

 House the very beautiful process invented by Mr. Marsh of Woolwich, 

 for the detection of minute quantities of arsenical poisons. The me- 

 thod consists in placing the suspected substance in very dilute sul- 

 phuric acid, and introducing a slip of pure zinc. The hydrogen is 

 evolved in combination with the metallic arsenic, and on examination 

 presents most distinct and remarkable phenomena. If ignited, the 

 flame is of a leaden blue color, and diffuses a powerful odour of garlic, 

 and a dense white smoke. If the flame be reduced to the size of a 

 pea, and applied to the interior of a thin glass tube, a crust of metallic 

 arsenic is formed on the tube, surrounded by a white ring of arsenious 

 acid. To this, by a little dexterous management, the several tests for 

 arsenic may be applied, namely the ammoniacal-nitrates of silver and 

 copper, and the sulphuretted hydrogen gas. 



A few months after the meeting referred to, I had occasion to apply 

 the process to the examination of the contents of the stomach of the 

 Munshi of the Coroner's Office, who had been poisoned by arsenic con- 

 tained in a ball of sweetmeat. The results were quite conclusive, and 

 Mere, moreover, checked by the performance of the common process on 

 a portion of the large quantity of arsenic adherent to the mucous mem- 

 brane of the stomach. 



Up to the time of this occurrence, and indeed for some months later, 

 I participated in Marsh's opinion, that this admirable process was 

 applicable to all the arsenical poisons — to those not dissolved by water 



