PHOSPHORUS. 
231 
§§ 283, 284.] 
added 16 which had come under his own observation, giving in all 108 
cases. Seventy-one (or 65 per cent.) of these were suicidal—of the 
suicides 24 were males, 47 females (12 of the latter being prostitutes) ; 
21 of the cases were those of murder, 11 were accidental, and in 3 the 
cause was not ascertained. The number of cases in successive years, and 
the kind of poison used, are given as follows :— 
Number of 
Cases. 
In the Years 
Phosphorus in 
Substance, 
or as Paste. 
Phosphorus 
Matches. 
15 
1798-1850 
13 
2 
36 
1851-1860 
15 
21 
41 
1861-1864 
6 
35 
16 
1865-1867 
5 
11 
Of the 108 cases, 18 persons recovered and 90 (or 83*3 per cent.) died. 
Falck also has collected 76 cases of poisoning from various sources 
during eleven years ; 55 were suicidal, 5 homicidal 1 (murders), and 
the rest accidental. Of the latter, 2 were caused by the use of phos¬ 
phorus as a medicine, 13 by accidents due to phosphorus being in the 
house ; in 1 case phosphorus was taken intentionally to try the effects 
of an antidote. 2 With regard to the form in which the poison was 
taken, 2 of the 76, as already mentioned, took it as prescribed by 
physicians, the remaining 74 were divided between poisonings by phos¬ 
phorus paste (22) and matches (52) = 70 per cent. Of the 76 cases, 6 
were children, 43 adult males, 13 adult females, and 14 adults, sex not 
given. Of the 76 cases, 42, or 55-3 per cent., died—a much smaller 
rate of mortality than that shown by Schraube’s collection. 
§ 283. Fatal Dose. —The smallest dose on record is that mentioned 
by Lobenstein Lobel, of Jena, where a lunatic died from taking 7-5 
mgrms. (-116 grain). There are other cases clearly indicating that this 
small quantity may produce dangerous symptoms in a healthy adult. 
§ 284. Effects of Phosphorus. —Phosphorus is excessively poisonous, 
and will destroy life, provided only that it enters the body in a fine state 
of division; but if taken in coarse pieces no symptoms may follow, for 
it has been proved that single lumps of phosphorus will go the whole 
length of a dog’s intestinal canal without causing appreciable loss of 
weight, and without destroying life. 3 Magendie injected oleum phos- 
phoratum into the veins, and although the animals experimented on 
exhaled white fumes, and not a few died asphyxiated, yet no symptoms 
1 Dr Dannenberg has shown by direct experiment that a poisonous dose of 
phosphorus may be introduced into spirits or coffee, and the mixture have but little 
odour or taste of phosphorus.—Schuchardt in Masohka’s Handbuch. 
2 Gery, “ Ueber Terpentinessenz als Gegenmittel gegen Phosphor,” in Gnz. Hebd. 
de Med., 2 ser.,x. 2,1873. 
3 Reveil, Ann. d'Hygiene publ. (3), xii. 370. 
