336 
ON POISONING BY ARSENIOUS ACID. 
M. Chevallier in answer to the remark of M. Orfila, stated 
his opinion to be : 1. That the hydrated peroxide of iron is 
an excellent antidote for arsenic, explaining the term, by say- 
ing, that previously we possessed no certain antidote for ar- 
senious acid, whilst numerous facts collected in Belgium, 
Germany and in France, facts set forth in the excellent me- 
moir of M. Tierrot, a pharmaceutist of Bourg (Ain,) and sub- 
sequently in several scientific journals, have made known all 
which may be derived from the use of this oxide. 2. That 
arsenic will not be met with in the oxide of iron, prepared by 
dissolving sulphate of iron, and passing through it hydro-sul- 
phuric acid gas, set aside to deposit, then filtering, boiling, 
afterwards precipitating by an alkali, washing the precipitated 
oxide and preserving for use. 3. That the oxide of iron given 
even a long time after the poison, still acts, as has been de- 
monstrated by the facts published in the medical journals. 
M. Bally asked whether hydrated peroxide of iron acts as 
an antidote for arsenic acid. M. Chevallier thought that 
further experiment was necessary to reply affirmatively. 
Meanwhile he observed, that in horses, poisoned accidentally 
with arseniate of potassa, it was proven that those to which 
the hydrated peroxide was administered, died later than those 
which were not treated with this oxide. 
Meeting of March 23. M. Bally having inquired at the 
last meeting whether the peroxide of iron was an antidote for 
arsenic acid as well as for arsenious acid — M. Orfila stated 
that, since the last meeting, he had made experiments, from 
which it results that the peroxide of iron acts upon arsenic in 
the same manner as upon arsenious acid. He likewise was 
desirous of knowing whether the poisonous action of arsenic 
acid was as intense as that of arsenious acid; in fact, he gave 
20 decigrammes of arsenic acid to a large dog ; this dose was 
sufficient to produce death. He associated with the same dose 
of arsenic acid, an ounce of peroxide of iron ; this mixture 
was injected into the stomach of a dog, and the oesophagus im- 
mediately tied; the animal lived several days, although the 
former had died in a few hours. 
Journ. de Chim. Med. 
