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POISONS : THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. [§ 203. 
Children of 1 to 3 years, dose 1 to 1-5 grm. (15-4 to 23-1 grains) 
„ 3 „ 5 „ „ 2 „ 3 „ (30-8 „ 46-3 „ ) 
„ 5 „ 7 „ „ 3 „ 4 „ (46-3 „ 61-7 „ ) 
—these quantities being dissolved in 100 c.c. of water. 
These doses are certainly too high, and it would be dangerous to take 
them as a guide, since death has occurred in a child, aged 5, from a dose 
of 3 grms. (46*3 grains). Medical men in England consider 20 grains a 
very full dose for a'child of 4 years old, and 50 for an adult, while a 
case is recorded in which a dose of 1-9 grm. (30 grains) proved fatal in 
thirty-five hours to a young lady aged 20. On the other hand, we find 
a case 1 in which, to a patient suffering from epileptic mania, a dose of 
31-1 grms. (1-1 oz.) of chloral hydrate was administered ; she sank into a 
deep sleep in five minutes. Subcutaneous injections of strychnine were 
applied, and after sleeping for forty-eight hours, there was recovery. On 
the third day a vivid scarlatinal rash appeared, followed by desquamation. 
The examples quoted—the fatal dose of 1-9 grm., and recovery from 31 
grms.—are the two extremes for adults. From other cases, it appears 
tolerably plain that most people would recover, especially with appropriate 
treatment, from a single dose under 8 grms., but anything above that 
quantity taken at one time would be very dangerous, and doses of 10 
grms. and above, almost always fatal. If, however, 8 grms. were taken in 
divided doses during the twenty-four hours, it could (according to Sir 
B. W. Richardson) be done with safety. The time from the taking 
of the poison till death varies considerably, and is in part dependent 
on the dose. 
In seven cases of lethal poisoning, three persons who took the small 
doses of 1-25, 2*5, and 1-95 grms. respectively, lived from eight to ten 
hours ; two, taking 4 and 5 grms. respectively, died very shortly after 
the administration of the chloral. In a sixth case, related by Brown, in 
which 3-12 grms. had been taken, the patient lived an hour; and in 
another, after a dose of 5 grms., recorded by Jolly, death took place 
within a quarter of an hour. 
§ 203. Symptoms. —With moderate doses there are practically no 
symptoms, save a drowsiness coming on imperceptibly, and followed by 
heavy sleep. With doses up to 2 grms. (30*8 grains), the hypnotic state 
is perfectly under the command of the will, and if the person chooses to 
walk about or engage in any occupation, he can ward off sleep ; but with 
those doses which lead to danger, the narcosis is completely uncontrol¬ 
lable, the appearance of the sleeper is often strikingly like that of a 
drunken person. There is great diminution of temperature, commencing 
in from five to twenty minutes after taking the dose—occasionally sleep 
is preceded by a delirious state. During the deep slumber the face is 
much flushed, and in a few cases the sleep passes directly into death 
1 Chicago Medical Register, 1882 - 
