MISCELLANY. 
171 
When the chilblain has become chapped and ulcerated, the embrocation 
is to be applied only to the surrounding skin, and the little wounds should 
be dressed with laudanized cerate, to which we may sometimes add with 
advantage a portion of tincture of benzoin. — Bui. Gen, de Therapeut.,et id. 
Case of Poisoning by Arsenious Acid successfully treated by the Hydrated 
Tritoxide of Iron, by Dr. Deville. — A young lady, in consequence of a 
disappointment in a love affair, determined to poison herself, and accord- 
ingly one night, a little before twelve o'clock, took (mixed in water) a 
considerable quantity of arsenic powder, which had been bought to destroy 
rats. The symptoms of poisoning commenced about one o'clock in the 
morning with vomiting, and she brought up part of the powder with some 
undigested food. Dr, Deville did not see her before four o'clock, A.M., 
when she had vomited several times, was suffering dreadful pain in the 
head and stomach, with burning heat in the throat, and seemed in a very 
dangerous state. She was immediately given a quantity of milk and lin- 
seed decoction, to encourage the vomiting and to assist the discharge of the 
poison ; but this and other means failed to give any relief, and the symp- 
toms became more urgent. Dr. Deville then determined to give hydrated 
tritoxide of iron ; but as he had some difficulty in procuring this, it was 
half-past five before he returned to the patient. He immediately admi- 
nistered about half an ounce of the antidote by the mouth, and repeated 
his dose every quarter of an hour, so that by eight o'clock, A.M., she had 
taken more than half a pound of the iron. He then stopped, as the me- 
dicine had produced vomiting and purging, and the urgent symptoms 
seemed somewhat abated; twenty-five leeches were then applied on the 
epigastrium, with other general treatment, and the patient gradually re- 
covered. In twelve days she was perfectly well. From a careful exa- 
mination of the poison which remained in the glass, out of which she had 
taken it, and from knowing the quantity of the powder originally contained 
in the packet, Dr. Deville came to the conclusion that 56 grains of arse- 
nious acid had been taken into the stomach, and remained there for above 
an hour ; and though a considerable part (which was thrown away) might 
have been discharged by vomiting, still a larger quantity, he conceives, 
remained in the stomach. 
[The preservation of the patient's life, in the opinion of Dr. Deville, 
was incontestibly owing to the hydrated tritoxide of iron ; but the case is 
open to considerable objections, for the greater part or the whole of the 
poison might have been discharged with the vomited matters, which un- 
fortunately were not preserved.] 
Rev. Med. Fran, et Etran. Sept. 1838. 
Toxicological Experiments, with Preparations of Chromium, by Dr, 
Berndt, — I. Experiments with bichromate of potash, Exp. i. Fifteen grains 
