CHAPTER X 



POISONS 



Preliminary — Definition — Classification — Criminal poisoning — Accidental 

 poisoning — Stimulant and sedative poisoning — Poisons used in trial by 

 ordeal — References. 



PRELIMINARY. 



The chemical causes of tropical disease or the tropical intoxica- 

 tions are numerous, and it is impossible in a book of this size to do 

 more than give an account, in condensed form, of the more common, 

 and to provide means, by the references, whereby the reader may 

 extend his information if he so desires. 



In the present work we shall divide these chemical causes into 

 Poisons and Venomous Animals ; and as we begin the study of 

 these matters in the present chapter, it is as well to state what we 

 mean by a poison. 



DEFINITION. 



A poison is any chemical substance which, when introduced in- 

 sufficient quantity into, or brought in contact with, the living 

 organism, is capable of producing a variation in the structure, the 

 chemical composition, or the functions, of the whole or any part of 

 that organism, which exceeds the limits of physiological variation. 



Such a definition includes a large number of substances, and 

 therefore some arrangement is necessary in order that they may be 

 considered systematically. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



Poisons have been classified into mineral, vegetal, and animal, 

 or according to their action on the human economy; but we have 

 departed from these proposals, and have attempted to arrange them 

 according to the purposes for which they are used, as we consider 

 that this method will be of greater service to the tropical practitioner. 



With this end in view, we divide them into the chemical substances 

 which occur in — ■ 



I. Criminal Poisoning. 

 II. Accidental Poisoning. 



III. Stimulant and Sedative Poisoning. 



IV. Trial by Ordeal. 



i6i II 



