520 
POISONING OF PIGS WITH BRINE. 
of the fluid taken from the stomach of the large animal con- 
tains forty-two grains of salt, and, as a proof, I send you 
that extracted from two ounces. There is no other substance 
present that can be detected ; certainly no metal or mineral 
agent. 1 think it is very likely that a servant may have 
thrown brine into the pigs’ food, not thinking it injurious. 
The mucous surface of the larger stomach, in the dependent 
portion, was covered with inflammatory specks, as if grains 
of an irritant had lain on it. 
I am, sir, 
Yours respectfully, 
William Herapath. 
Mr. Geo. Lewis, Y.S., Monmouth. 
Monmouth; Aug. 15, 1856. 
Dear Sir, —I was astonished to read in Mr. Herapath’s 
letter that so small a quantity of common salt will destroy 
life in the pig, and in so short a time too, acting so violently 
as to produce all the symptoms described in my last letter to 
you. Now, if the stomach of the large pig, analysed by 
Mr. Herapath, contained eight quarts, the quantity of common 
salt held in solution would be 3j> g r * xij. 
And if we are to be told that less than one ounce and a 
half of common salt is one of the most destructive and irritant 
poisons to the largest-sized pig, farmers’ stock is no longer 
safe, for salt is to the pig more deadly than nux vomica, 
and, being more easily obtained, ere long we must expect a 
complete depopulation of pigs, and the lovers of home-cured 
bacon must forego their favorite slices, for they will be as 
dear as rubies ! 
Yesterday evening I rode over to Mr. Constant’s to state 
the information I had received, and to ascertain further par- 
ticulars, when I was informed that on Sunday a small piece 
of beef, from 3 lb. to 4 lb. weight, w hich had been salted twdce, 
but not been in brine nor tasting at all salt, was boiled in the 
water, to which more w r ater was added, in which the food 
that proved so destructive to the pigs w as afterwards boiled. 
But, added my informant, 1 am certain it never injured them, 
neither had we any brine which could have been thrown into 
the boiler, neither do I believe that brine would have proved 
so deadly a poison, for frequently we have thrown into the 
hog-tub a large quantity of strong pickle made of bay salt, 
saltpetre, &c., &c., in which a round of beef has lain for 
from six to eight weeks. Moreover, we always make it a 
rule to cast into the hog-tub all the refuse salt when curing 
