230 
POISONS : THEIR 
EFFECTS 
(2) Phosphorus 
. 9] 
Gum . 
. 16 
Nitre 
. 14 
Smalts 
. 16 
(3) Phosphorus 
. . 4] 
Glue . 
. 6 
Nitre 
. 10 
Red lead . 
. 5 
Smalts 
. 2 
(4) Phosphorus 
. 17! 
Glue . 
. 21 
Nitre 
. 38 
Red lead . 
. 24 
[§ 282. 
99 
99 
99 
99 
99 
99 
Phosphorus poisoning by matches is, however, becoming rare, for 
those containing the ordinary variety of phosphorus have been superseded 
by matches of excellent quality which contain no phosphorus whatever, 
or by matches which are manufactured with phosphorus sulphide. 
Ordinary matches which will strike anywhere contain phosphorus 
sulphide, and an oxidising agent such as potassic chloride or red lead; 
while “ safety ” matches are tipped with a paste composed of potassic 
chlorate 32 per cent., potassium dichromate 12 per cent., red lead 32 per 
cent., antimony sulphide 24 per cent. The coated surface on which the 
matches are rubbed is composed of equal parts of red phosphorus and 
antimony sulphide. Phosphorus sesquisuljdiide has not the injurious 
qualities of ordinary phosphorus. 
§ 282. Statistics. —The deaths for five years ending 1916 from 
phosphorus poisoning in England and Wales amount to 26 ; of these, 
7 (3 males, 4 females) were due to accident, and 19 (5 males and 14 
females) were suicidal. 
Phosphorus as a cause of death occupies the fourteenth place among 
poisons. 
A far greater number of cases of poisoning by phosphorus occur yearly 
in France and Germany than in England. In Germany, however, since 
1907 yellow phosphorus has been forbidden to be used in the manufacture 
of matches. Limits of 5 per cent, and 8 per cent, have been adopted in 
Holland and Belgium. Phosphorus may be considered as the favourite 
poison which the common people on the Continent employ for the 
purpose of self-destruction. It is an agent which, before the change of 
manufacture, was within the reach of anyone who had two sous in his 
pocket wherewith to buy a box of matches ; but to the educated, and 
those who know the horrible and prolonged torture ensuing from a toxic 
dose of phosphorus, such a means of exit from life will never be favoured. 
Otto Schraube * has collected 92 cases from Meischner’s work, 2 and 
1 Schmidt’s Jahrbuch der ger. Med., clxxxvi. 209-248, 1867. 
2 Die acute Phosphorose und einige Reflexionen iiber die acute gelbe Leberatrophie, 
etc., Inaug. Diss., Leipzig, 1864. 
