ARSENIC. 
557 
§§ 736, 737-1 
formed ; thus, 3H 2 S + 2AsH 3 = As 2 S 3 -f 6H 2 , a reaction which is of some 
importance from a practical point of view. Many metals have also 
the property of decomposing the gas at high temperatures, and setting 
hydrogen free. Metallic oxides, again, in like manner combine with 
arsenic, and set water free; e.g., 3Cu0 + 2H 3 As==Cu 3 As 2 +3H 2 0. 
A solution of copper sulphate absorbs arsine completely, and arsenide 
of copper is precipitated, 3S0 4 Cu + 2AsH 3 = 3S0 4 H 2 +As 2 Cu 3 . 
Arsine acts on solutions of .the noble metals like phosphuretted 
hydrogen, precipitating the metal and setting free arsenious acid ; for 
example, nitrate of silver is decomposed thus— 
2[ As Ag 3 + 3N 0 3 Ag]+3H 2 0 = 12 Ag + As 2 0 3 + 6N 0 3 H. 
This reaction admits of valuable practical application to the estimation 
of arsenic ; for the precipitated silver is perfectly arsenic-free ; the 
excess of nitrate of silver is easily got rid of by a chloride of sodium 
solution, and the absorption and decomposition of the gas are complete. 
In cases of poisoning by arsine, the blood when examined by the 
spectroscope (a process the analyst should never omit where it is possible) 
is of a peculiar inky colour, and the bands between D and C are melted 
together, and have almost vanished. Such blood, exposed to oxygen, 
remains unaltered. 
§ 736. Arsine in the Arts, etc. —In the bronzing of brass, in the 
desilverising of lead by zinc, and subsequent treatment of the silver-zinc 
with hydrochloric acid, in the tinning of sheet-iron, and similar pro¬ 
cesses, either from the use of acids containing arsenic as an impurity, 
or from the application of arsenic itself, arsine is evolved. 
§ 737. Effects on Animals and Man of breathing Arsine. —The 
most general effect on mammals is to produce jaundice, bloody urine, 
and increase in the biliary secretion. In the course of numerous ex- 
periments on dogs, Stadelmann 1 found that by making them breathe 
a dose of arsine, which would not be immediately fatal, icterus was 
always produced and could be detected by the appearance of the 
t 
tissues. The bile is remarkably thickened, and the theory is, that 
in such cases the jaundice is purely mechanical, the gall-duct being 
occluded by the inspissated bile. Rabbits experimented upon similarly 
showed increased biliary secretion, but no jaundice; while it was 
proved that cats are not so sensitive to arsine as either rabbits or 
dogs. There are not wanting instances of arsine having been breathed 
by man—the discoverer of the gas, Gehlen, was in fact the first victim 
on record. In order to discover a flaw in his apparatus he smelt 
strongly at the joints, and died in eight days from the effects of the 
inhalation. 
1 “ Die Arsenwasserstoff-Vergiftung,” Archiv f. exper. Path. u. Pharm., Leipzig, 
1882 . 
