CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  TOXICOLOGY. 
31 
The  author  also  corroborates  Rose's  statement,  that  earthy 
matters  render  the  red  coloring  matter  insoluble  in  water ;  but 
on  the  green  liquor,  No.  3,  he  could  not  observe  the  dichroism  of 
which  H.  Rose  speaks ;  also  in  an  alkaline  solution  of  fresh  co- 
agulated ox-blood,  he  could  see  but  a  faint  red  color  in  reflected 
light,  although  he  experimented  with  concentrated  and  diluted 
solutions. —  Wittstein's  Viert  J.  Sch\  v.  382-389. 
On  Carbonic  Oxide.    By  Adeien  Ciienot. 
Carbonic  acid  not  being  decomposable  at  ordinary  tempera- 
ture, is  incapable  of  furnishing  the  necessary  oxygen  for  the 
Support  of  life ;  it  therefore  acts  by  obturation,  and  destroys  life 
by  asphyxia.  It  is  different  with  carbonic  oxide.  This  gas,  in 
oxidizing  to  carbonic  acid,  has  a  three-fold  action  :  1,  by  taking 
away  oxygen  ;  2,  by  burning  the  same ;  and  3,  by  the  formation 
of  carbonic  acid. 
These  actions  are  inseparable  from  each  other,  and  the  last 
produces  asphyxia  by  the  cessation  of  the  activity  of  the  lungs  : 
but  in  the  same  time  oxygen  has  been  condensed,  and  the  vacuum 
thus  established  causes  compression  and  bursting.  Resides  this, 
6,000  units  of  caloric  litre  oxygen  are  developed  within  the 
body  by  the  oxydation  of  carbonic  oxide,  and  in  this  way  the 
organs  are  cauterized,  which  explains  the  extreme  agony  accom- 
panying a  poisoning  with  carbonic  oxide,  while  on  the  contrary 
carbonic  acid  produces  an  agreeable  intoxication,  increasing  to 
a  soothing  lethargy  without  any  tormenting  sensation. 
Contrary  to  many  statements  in  books,  the  carbonic  oxide  of 
ordinary  combustion,  containing  four  to  six  per  cent,  of  nitrogen, 
is  but  a  mild  deoxidizer,  and  unable  to  deprive  the  oxides  of  the 
metals  belonging  to  the  iron-group  of  their  oxygen.  Still  it  is 
a  somewhat  dangerous  poison.  The  pure  carbonic  oxide,  how- 
ever, is  not  only  a  strong  deoxidizer,  but  also  a  violent  poison, 
acting  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning. 
The  author  then  relates  a  case  of  poisoning  caused  by  the  ac- 
cidental inhalation  of  some  of  the  gas,  and  gives  the  external 
effects  as — 1,  prostration,  as  if  struck  by  lightning  ;  2,  eyes  dis- 
torted; 3,  extremities  contracted  ;  4,  skin  pale ;  5,  veins  swollen 
and  shining  black  through  the  skin.  The  internal  effects  are — 
1,  sensibility  very  much  increased ;  all  ideas,  the  chief  interests, 
