112  Poisoning  by  Chlorate  of  Potassium.  {AmMJa0",ri8^rm* 
somewhat  similar  color,  by  alcohol,  which  takes  up  the  coloring  mat- 
ter of  the  latter,  and  from  linseed  oil  by  becoming  solid  at  a  much  higher 
temperature. 
POISONING  BY  CHLORATE  OF  POTASSIUM. 
By  George  W.  Kennedy,  Ph.G. 
Read  at  the  Alumni  Meeting,  February  7,  1878. 
A  case  of  poisoning  by  the  above-named  chemical  occurred  in 
November  last,  in  the  family  of  Dr.  Kauffman,  of  Pine  Grove,  now 
of  Minersville,  Schuylkill  county.  The  case  will  be  interesting,  as 
there  is  but  one  on  record  previous  to  this  where  death  has  resulted  by 
an  excessive  use  of  the  drug,  so  far  as  I  am  informed — that  of  Dr. 
Fountain,  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  who  took  one  ounce  at  a  dose,  and  fell 
a  victim  to  his  temerity.  The  writer  waited  on  the  father  of  the 
deceased  child,  so  as  to  obtain  reliable  information.  I  believe  that  the 
salt  has  been  considered,  both  by  the  medical  and  pharmaceutical  pro- 
fession generally,  as  rather  an  innoxious  remedy,  comparatively  speak- 
ing. No  doubt  to  many  this  case  will  appear  remarkable,  and  they 
would  rather  feel  disposed  to  attach  discredit  to  it,  as  the  writer  would 
feel  inclined  to  regard  the  fatal  result  due  to  some  other  poison,  were 
he  not  in  possession  of  such  information  direct  from  the  father  of  the 
deceased  child,  who  is  a  practicing  physician,  and  stands  well  in  the 
estimation  of  the  medical  fraternity  of  the  county  where  he  resides. 
Many  would  hesitate  to  class  chlorate  of  potassium  as  a  poison,  when 
we  take  into  consideration  that  it  is  used  in  diphtheria  and  scarlatina  in 
large  doses  with  impunity,  and  is  known  in  nearly  every  family,  like 
Epsom  salts  or  magnesia,  or  any  other  common  drug  ;  in  fact,  there 
are  few  who  have  suffered  with  the  simplest  or  more  aggravated  form 
of  sore  throat  but  are  familiar  with  it  as  a  remedy  which  for  conveni- 
ence is  often  kept  on  hand. 
For  the  reason  stated,  Dr.  Kauffman  kept  a  quantity  of  the  chlorate 
in  a  tin  box,  and  at  the  time  of  the  accident  the  box  contained  approx- 
imately about  four  ounces.  It  was  customary  with  the  doctor  to  give 
his  children,  consisting  of  three  (two  girls  and  a  boy),  a  few  grains  of 
the  salt  several  times  daily^  for  some  time  previous,  as  a  prophylactic 
against  diphtheria,  as  the  disease  was  then  prevailing  to  an  alarming 
extent  in  a  malignant  form.  On  Tuesday  morning,  Nov.  6th,  1877, 
between  10  and  11  o'clock,  the  children  were  left  alone  in  a  room  in 
