26 poisons: their effects and DETECTION. [§§20,21. 
III.—Statistics. 
§ 20. The number of deaths from poison (whether accidental, 
suicidal, or homicidal), as compared with other forms of violent as 
well as natural deaths, possesses no small interest ; and this is more 
especially true when the statistics are studied in a comparative manner, 
and town is compared with town, country with country. 
The greater the development of commercial industries (especially 
those necessitating the use or manufacture of powerful chemical 
agencies), the more likely are accidents from poisons to occur. It may 
also be stated, further, that the higher the mental development of a 
nation, the more likely are its homicides to be caused by subtle poison 
—its suicides by the euthanasia of chloral, morphine, or hemlock. 
Other influences causing local diversity in the kind and frequency 
of poisoning are those of race, of religion, of age and sex, and the 
mental stress concomitant with sudden political and social changes. 
§ 21.-During the five years ending December 1916, there died 
from poisonous substances 4076 persons, in a population of about 
34J millions ; the deaths from all causes during the same period were 
2,679,136. 
DEATHS FROM POISON IN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE FIVE 
YEARS ENDING DECEMBER 1916. 
Accident or 
Negligence. 
Suicide. 
Murder. 
•- » 
Total. 
Metals. 
M. 
F. 
M. 
F. 
M. 
F. 
M. 
F. 
Arsenic ...... 
10 
8 
16 
2 
1 
28 
9 
Antimony ..... 
1 
1 
1 
• . 
• ♦ 
2 
1 
Copper Salts ..... 
• • 
1 
• • 
1 
2 
Lead „ 
1 
2 
• • 
3 
1 
5 
Zinc ,, . 
• • 
2 
• • 
• • 
2 
Mercury . 
4 
6 
19 
27 
• • 
23 
33 
Chromium Compounds . 
3 
• • 
1 
• • 
3 
1 
Alkaline Earths. 
Barium Chloride . , . 
2 
• • 
• • 
• • 
• • 
o 
• • 
Alkalies and their Salts. 
Caustic Soda.... 
5 
2 
1 
% % 
6 
2 
,, Potash 
2 
• • 
1 
, . 
3 
Potassium Permanganate 
1 
• • 
1 
1 
1 
,, Chloride 
• . 
• • 
1 
m # 
1 
,, Bromide 
• , 
1 
, , 
# # 
1 
,, Oxalato 
2 
4 
# . 
2 
4 
,, Chlorate 
• • 
2 
• , 
# # 
9 
W 
,, Nitrate . . . 
1 
• . 
• . 
1 
Sodium ,, 
2 
• • 
. • 
2 
JmJ 
# # 
Ammonia ..... 
23 
16 
44 
56 
1 
68 
72 
„ bromide .... 
1 
• • 
• • 
• • 
• • 
1 
• • 
Carry forward 
58 
45 
82 
90 
3 
1 
143 
136 
