ON THE EFFECTS OF ACRID POISONS. 
225 
and which prepares the way for the escape of blood at numerous 
points, which appears to me to be worthy of particular attention, 
since it seems quite analogous to that which takes place in acute¬ 
ly inflamed serous membranes when plastic lymph is thrown out 
and is about to become organized. In the case of the serous 
membranes, these numerous and minute extravasations of blood 
into the closely applied or adherent lymph appear to be the first 
stage by which the organization of the false membrane com¬ 
mences. 
I shall now proceed to relate some of the cases and experi¬ 
ments which have furnished the opportunities of producing the 
drawings and models which I have to submit to the inspection 
of the Medical Section. 
12—10 mo. —1829. Guy's Hospital. —No. 1.—Examination of the 
body of William Robert Squires, aet. 16, admitted into Luke’s Ward on 
the 11th, and who died about twenty-six hours after having swallowed 
arsenic by accident. It appears that on the morning of the 10th he 
picked up a piece of cheese which his master had charged with arsenic 
and placed as a poison for rats. Having shaken or blown it to get rid of 
the dust or flour which he thought was upon it, he swallowed it. He 
afterwards took his dinner and went to his work, but was seized with 
vomiting and tormina. The cause of his illness was not suspected until 
the following day, when the lad’s master discovered that the poisoned 
cheese had been removed. He was brought to the hospital, and two 
5-grain doses of sulphate of zinc were given. They produced vomiting 
of bilious matter, mixed with a flake or two of a substance resembling a 
semitransparent membrane, spotted with blood. A blister was then 
applied, but he died almost immediately after. His pulse was very 
quick, but his symptoms, even a short time before death, did not appear 
very urgent. He had passed stools, and had complained of pain of 
head, but not of heat of the throat. 
The appearance of the body indicated an age less than that assigned 
to the lad. The body was in good condition, but mottled with rather 
light-coloured irregular livid spots. 
Head.—The head was not opened. 
Chest.—The viscera of the chest were healthy, but the lungs exhi¬ 
bited considerable cadaveric engorgement. The remains of the thymus 
gland were large. The heart was rather small and contracted. It con¬ 
tained some coagulated blood. 
Abdomen.—There was a generally diffused light rose-colour over the 
greater part of the exterior of the intestines, but it appeared rather to 
receive the tinge from congestion than from inflammation, not being at¬ 
tended with any effusion of lymph or other product of inflammation, and 
not particularly affecting parts in contact, but portions of the whole ca¬ 
libre at intervals, which generally occurred in depending portions, were 
of a deeper colour than the rest. The interior of the oesophagus was to 
all appearance healthv, or at most of a very faint rose-colour. The mu- 
1835. ' Q 
