Poisonous salts. Symptoms: spasms, peristalsis, defecation, urination,
restlessness, prostration, emesis, weak pulse, coma. Lesions: Moderate
congestion of gastro-intestinal mucosa. Treatment: alkaline sulphate,
anodynes, demulcents.
The salts of barium are irritant with a special action on the nervous
system shown by weakened action of the heart and spasms or paresis of
the muscles. The chloride is used in staining wool, the nitrate and
chlorate in producing green colors in fireworks, the oxide and carbonate
in glassmaking, the chromate by painters, and the sulphate for giving
weight and body to various white powders. The chloride is now largely
used to stimulate intestinal peristalsis in animals.
_Symptoms._ Barium chloride hypodermically produces tonic and clonic
convulsions, increased peristalsis, discharges of urine and fæces, great
restlessness, muscular prostration, emesis in vomiting animals, hurried,
shallow respiration, weak, thready pulse, asthenia, coma, and death.
_Lesions._ There is congestion of the gastric and intestinal mucosa, but
this is rarely violent, and corrosion and ulceration are almost unknown.
The agent indeed seems to act more energetically upon the nervous system
than on the mucosa of the alimentary tract.
_Treatment._ This consists in giving an alkaline sulphate (sulphate of
soda, potash, or magnesia), to precipitate the insoluble barium
sulphate, with anodynes (opium) and mucilaginous agents.