ON POISONING BY ARSENIOUS ACID. 
331 
medical report, that the animal substances which they had 
examined do not contain arsenic. But he said that already in 
several judiciary reports he had proven the absence of 
this metal from the viscera of the human body. He besides 
stated, that in conjunction with M. Ribes, jr., Surgeon to the 
Invalids, he had made numerous experiments with the view 
of detecting arsenic in the blood, the existence of which Beige 
had announced, but the results were negative. 
Marchl6th, 1841. M. Chevallier, on behalf of M.Caventou 
and himself, made a report upon a case of arsenical poisoning 
observed by M. Bouillet. He stated: 1. That the patient 
died although he took immediately colcothar, which was 
substituted for the hydrated oxide of iron, prescribed by the 
physician, and was followed by diuretic drinks. 2. That the 
patient discharged very little urine, but that the urine con- 
tained arsenious acid. Dr. Bouillet having stated that the 
urine discharged on the fifth day, contained more arsenic than 
that on the fourth; the reporters observed that the fact 
might be possible, but that nothing in the observation of Dr. 
Bouillet demonstrated the truth of the assertion. Finally, the 
reporters suggested that the thanks of the Academy be pre- 
sented to the author. 
M. Orfila addressed the Academy on the subject of the report 
in the following note: 
I request permission to read to the Academy, some 
observations in regard to the fact communicated by Dr. 
Bouillet. My observations relate to the use of colcothar 
and hydrated peroxide of iron ; and to the presence of arsenious 
acid in the urine of an individual poisoned by this substance. 
Colcothar and Hydrated Peroxide of Iron. I purposely 
notice these two separately, because it is important not to 
confound them together. Colcothar is an anhydrous oxide 
which does not exercise any neutralizing power with arseni- 
ous acid ; for, if we boil for two hours 16 grammes of this 
oxide with water, holding in solution 2 millegrammes (1.25 
gr.) of arsenious acid, the filtered liquor will still afford 
arsenic by means of Marsh's apparatus ; 16 grammes, then, 
