174 POISONS : THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. [§§ 2 II-2I4- 
.0 
§211. Aldehyde (Acetaldehyde), C 2 H 4 0 or CH 3 -C 4 , a fluid obtained by the 
X H 
careful oxidation of alcohol (boiling-point, 20 - 8 °), is in large doses toxic ; in smaller, 
it acts as a narcotic. 
Metaldehyde (C 2 H 4 0 2 ) 2 , obtained by treating acetaldehyde at a low temperature 
with hydrochloric acid. It occurs in the form of prisms, which sublime at about 
112 °; it is also poisonous. 
§ 212 . Paraldehyde (0 6 H 12 0 3 ) is a colourless fluid, boiling at 124° ; specific gravity, 
•998 at 15°. By the action of cold it may be obtained in crystals, the melting- 
point of which is 10-5°. It is soluble in eight parts of water at 13° ; in warm water 
it is less soluble ; hence, on warming a solution, it becomes turbid. Paraldehyde is 
said to paralyse the anterior cornua of spinal cord. I 11 two recorded cases 1 of 
poisoning there was unconsciousness, perspiration, shallow breathing, and inter¬ 
mittent pulse. 
Treatment with amyl nitrite and strychnine has proved effective. 
§ 213. Somoform . 2 —This is a mixture of ethyl chloride, 65 parts ; methyl chloride, 
30 parts; and ethyl bromide, 5 parts. In toxic doses it causes death by tonic 
stoppage of diaphragm while the heart still beats strongly. 
§ 214. Sulphones — Sulphonal, Trional, Tetronal. —Of these, sulphonal, trional, 
and tetronal are in commerce, and much in use as narcotics. The sulphones are 
regarded as urethane, in which the hydrogen atoms are replaced by alkyl and alkyl- 
sulphonic radicles ; thus sulphonal is a dimethyl sulphone diethyl ethane, m.p. 125°, 
ch 3 so 2 -c 2 h 5 
\ / 
c 
/ \ 
ch 3 so 2 -c 2 h 5 
Sulphonal occurs as colourless prismatic crystals, soluble in 450 parts cold water, 
in 15 parts hot water, and in 80 parts 90 per cent, alcohol. Neutral reaction. Evolves 
SH 2 when heated with anhydrous sodic acetate. Odour of mercaptan when heated 
with an equal weight of KCN; if the product of the reaction is dissolved in water, 
acidified, and a little ferric chloride added, a red colour is produced. 
Trional, m.p. 75°, is a monomethyl-ethyl sulphone-diethyl ethane, 
CH 3 S0 2 C 2 H 5 
\ / 
c 
/ \ 
c 2 h 5 so 2 c 2 h 5 
while tetronal, m.p. 85°, is a diethyl sulphone diethyl ethane. 
Baumann and Kast 3 have shown that there is a relation between narcotic power 
and the number of ethyl groups, dimethyl sulphone-dimethyl ethane being without 
action, while the corresponding ethyl (tetronal) compound exercises the strongest 
narcotic action ; if a sulphonal methyl group is replaced by phenyl C 6 H 5 no narcotic 
action is produced, but if both methyl groups are replaced, as in diphenyl diethyl 
sulphone methane, C 6 H 5 C(S0 2 C 2 H 5 ) 2 C 6 H 5 , an intense poison is produced, the fatal 
dose for cats being 0-5 grm. per kilo. 
The ordinary sleeping dose of sulphonal for adults is from 10 to 20 grains (-65 grm.- 
1-3 grm.); single occasional doses of this magnitude do not seem to appreciably 
affect the health, but if taken day after day serious changes may be produced. A 
woman , 4 aged 53, took for some time 15 grains (1 grm.) of sulphonal. At last there 
was marked mental confusion, difficulty of speech, and a peculiar sighing dyspnoea. 
1 Lancet, Sept. 23, 1900, p. 875 ; and Sept. G, 1902. 
2 Proc. Physiol. Soc., xxv., 1903. 
3 IJ. Hildebrant, Arch. f. exper. Path. u. Pharm., Bd. liii. 
4 Lancet, July 28, 1900. 
