720 POISONS : THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. [§ 930 . 
injections of solutions of potassic bichromate on animals, and especially 
on the changes which the kidneys undergo. If the animal is killed or 
dies a few hours after the injection, there are apparently no striking 
appearances ; but a closer microscopical examination shows considerable 
changes. The epithelium of the tubuli contorti exhibits a yellow 
cloudiness, and the outline of the cells is irregular and jagged. The 
glomeruli are moderately injected, and their capsules contain an 
albuminous exudation ; the canaliculi are filled with round cells im¬ 
bedded in a fluid which, on heating, coagulates, and is therefore 
albuminous or fibrinous—probably this is the first stage of the forma¬ 
tion of fibrinous casts. 
In the case quoted of the woman who poisoned herself with potassic 
chromate, very striking changes were found in the stomach and intes¬ 
tines. The stomach contained above a litre of dark chocolate fluid of 
alkaline reaction ; the mucous membrane, in the neighbourhood of the 
cardiac and pyloric extremities, was swollen and red in sharply defined 
patches ; portions of the epithelial layer were detached, the rest of the 
mucous membrane was of a yellow-brown colour, and the whole intestine, 
from the duodenum to the sigmoid flexure, was filled with a partly 
bloody, partly treacly-looking fluid ; the mucous membrane, throughout 
its entire extent, was swollen, with numerous extravasations, and in 
places there were losses of substance. Similar appearances to these have 
been found in other instances ; the anomalous case recorded by Mr 
Wilson (ante) is an exception. In this instance a pint of inky, turbid 
liquid, which yielded to analysis potassic bichromate, was found in the 
stomach ; but there were no marked changes anywhere, save a slight 
redness of the cardiac end of the gullet. In Linstow’s two cases of 
poisoning by lead chromate, there were found in both fatty degeneration 
of the liver cells, and red points or patches of redness in the stomach 
and intestines. In the elder boy the changes in the duodenum were 
very intense, the mucous membrane was swollen and easily detached, in 
the upper part strongly injected with blood ; in one place there was a 
perforation, and in several places the membrane was extremely thin. 
In the younger boy the kidneys seem to have been normal, in the elder 
congested and containing pus. Although it was clear that the two 
children died from lead chromate, a chemical analysis gave no result. 
§ 930. Detection of the Chromates and Separation of the Salts 
of Chromium from the Contents of the Stomach, etc.— If, in the 
methodical examination of an acid liquid which has been already 
filtered from any precipitate that may have been obtained by sulphur¬ 
etted hydrogen, this liquid is made alkaline (the alkali only being 
added in slight excess), and hydrated chromic oxide is thrown down 
mixed, it may be, with other metals of the second class, the pre¬ 
cipitate may then be fused with nitre and potassic carbonate, and will 
