HYDROCYANIC ACID. 
270.] 
217 
faction or some strong-smelling ethereal oil, there is an odour of hydric 
cyanide. 
Casper has rightly recommended that the head be opened and 
examined first, so as to detect the odour, if present, in the brain. The 
abdominal and chest cavities usually possess a putrefactive smell, but 
the brain is longer conserved, so that, if this course be adopted, there 
is a greater probability of detecting the odour. 
The stomach in poisoning by hydric cyanide is not inflamed, but 
if alcohol has been taken at the same time, or previously, there may be 
more or less redness. 
In poisoning by potassic cyanide, the appearances are mainly the 
same as those just detailed, with, it may be, the addition of caustic 
local action. There may, however, be, as in the case of a gentleman who 
drank accidentally a considerable dose of potassic cyanide just after 
a full meal, not the slightest trace of any redness, still less of corrosion. 
Here the contents of the stomach protected the mucous membrane, or 
possibly the larger amount of acid poured out during digestion suffi¬ 
ciently neutralised the alkali. Potassic cyanide, in very strong solu¬ 
tion, may cause erosions of the lips, and the caustic effect may be 
traced in the mouth, throat, gullet, to the stomach and duodenum ; 
but this is unusual, and the local effects are, as a rule, confined to the 
stomach and duodenum. The mucous membrane is coloured blood- 
red, reacts strongly alkaline, 1 is swollen, and it may be even ulcerated. 
The upper layers of the epithelium are also often dyed with the 
colouring-matter of the blood, which has been dissolved out by the 
cyanide. This last change is a post-mortem effect, and can be imitated 
by digesting the mucous membrane of a healthy stomach in a solution 
of cyanide. The intensity of these changes is, of course, entirely 
dependent on the dose and emptiness of the stomach. If the dose is 
so small as just to destroy life, there may be but little redness or swell¬ 
ing of the stomach, although empty at the time of taking the poison. 
In those cases in which there has been vomiting, and a part of the vomit 
has been drawn into the air-passages, there may be also inflammatory 
changes in the larynx. If essence of almonds has been swallowed, 
the same slight inflammation may be seen which has been observed 
with other essential oils, but no erosion, no strong alkaline reaction, nor 
anything approaching the effects of the caustic cyanide. 
1 The following case came under the senior author’s own observation :—A stout 
woman, 35 years of age, the wife of a French-polisher, drank, in a fit of rage, a solu¬ 
tion of cyanide of potassium. It was estimated that about 15 grains of the solid sub¬ 
stance were swallowed. She died within an hour. The face was flushed, the body not 
decomposed.; the mouth smelt strongly of cyanide ; the stomach had about an ounce 
of bloody fluid in it, and was in a most intense state of congestion. There was com¬ 
mencing fatty degeneration of the liver, the kidneys were flabby, and the capsule 
adherent. The contents of the stomach showed cyanide of potassium, and the blood 
was very fluid. The woman was known to be of intemperate habits. 
