22 
POISONS : THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. [§ ig. 
III. POISONS WHICH KILL WITHOUT THE PRODUCTION OF COARSE 
ANATOMICAL CHANGE. 
1. Poisons affecting the cerebro-spinal system ; such as chloroform, ether, 
nitrous oxide, alcohol, chloral, cocaine, atropine, morphine, nicotine, coniine, 
aconitine, strychnine, curarine, and others. 
2. Heart Poisons ; such as digitalis, helleborin, muscarine. 
IV. POISONOUS PRODUCTS OF TISSUE CHANGE. 
1. Poisonous albumin. 
2. Poisons developed in food. 
3. Auto-poisoning, e.g. uraemia, glycosuria, oxaluria. 
4. The more important products of tissue change ; such as fatty acids, oxy- 
acids, amido-fatty acids, amines, diamines, and ptomaines. 
§ 19. In this work the arrangement is one which, as far as pos¬ 
sible, follows the order in which a chemical expert would search for 
an unknown poison—hence an arrangement partly chemical and 
partly symptomatic. First the chief gases which figure in the 
mortality statistics are treated, and then follow in order other 
poisons. 
A chemist, given a liquid to examine, would naturally test first 
its reaction, and, if strongly alkaline or strongly acid, would at 
once direct his attention to the mineral acids or to the alkalies. 
In other cases, he would proceed to separate volatile matters from 
those that were fixed, lest substances such as prussic acid, chloro¬ 
form, alcohol, and phosphorus be dissipated or destroyed by his sub¬ 
sequent operations. 
Distillation over, the alkaloids, glucosides, and their allies would 
next be naturally sought, since they can be extracted by alcoholic and 
ethereal solvents in such a manner as in no way to interfere with an 
after- search for metals. 
The metals are last in the list, because by suitable treatment, after 
all organic substances are destroyed, either by actual fire or powerful 
chemical agencies, even the volatile metals may be recovered. The 
metals are arranged very nearly in the same order as that in which they 
would be separated from a solution—viz. according to their behaviour 
to hydric and ammonium sulphides. 
There are a few poisons, of course, such as the oxalates of the 
alkalies, which might be overlooked, unless sought for specially ; but it 
is hoped that this is no valid objection to the arrangement suggested, 
which, in greater detail, is as follows :— 
A.—POISONOUS GASES. 
Carbon monoxide. 
Chlorine. 
Hydric sulphide. 
