PHOSPHORUS.
This substance is sold in a pure state in small wax-like cylinders,
which must be preserved under water. It is soluble in oil, alcohol,
ether, and chloroform, and still more so in carbon disulphide; it is
luminous in the dark, and it ignites at a very low temperature, giving
off a dense white smoke. Phosphorus is much more frequently used as a
poison abroad than in England; but since restrictions have been put on
the sale of poisons, and rat poisons containing it have been more
common, cases of poisoning have more frequently occurred, and are likely
to do so even oftener in future. The cases which have occurred show that
it is a very powerful irritant, and capable of causing death when taken,
even in small doses. One grain has caused death; the shortest period in
which it has followed the administration of the poison being four hours.
The phosphorous paste sold consists of flour, sugar, and fat, with
phosphorous, ordinarily colored with Prussian blue. Coloring matter is
also generally present in lucifer-match tops, which contain phosphorus
and chlorate of potash, or nitre; hence, the vomited matters after
either of these has been swallowed may be variously colored. In the
so-called "safety matches" the phosphorus is on the box and not on the
match. Phosphorus does not readily lend itself to the purposes of the
criminal, its luminosity, its taste, and its garlic odor rendering it
difficult of concealment.
The _symptoms_ of poisoning by phosphorus are very varied, often
insidious. At first there may be merely the ordinary signs of irritant
poisoning. The vomited matters are luminous in the dark, sometimes
bilious, sometimes bloody. There is very great prostration, and there
may be diarrhoea with bloody stools. These symptoms sometimes abate,
and everything seems going on well, when suddenly a new train of
symptoms, still more serious, develop themselves. These are such as
would occur in the worst forms of blood poisoning: harsh, dry, yellow
skin, with discharges of blood from the various passages, and the
formation of extravasations below the skin. The urine is ordinarily
retained or suppressed, what little there is being albuminous or
bile-stained. Finally, acute delirium with convulsions sets in; the
patient dies comatose a few hours after taking the poison, or it may be
as many months.
The _post-mortem appearances_ after death by phosphorus are very
peculiar. If the case has proved rapidly fatal there will be the
ordinary signs of irritant poisoning, with, in addition, softening of
the stomach, bloody or gangrenous patches, blood in the intestines and
bladder, and bloody serum in the peritoneal cavity. In many respects the
lesions resemble those of the worst forms of sea scurvy; but the most
marked changes are the remarkable fatty degeneration of the liver,
kidneys, heart and other muscles, especially of the first, which is
often greatly atrophied.
The diagnosis will depend on the peculiar odor of garlic exhaled by the
patient and the luminosity of the vomited matters, in addition to the
other signs referred to.
_Treatment._--There is no regular antidote for phosphorus; early
evacuation by the stomach-pump and the free promotion of vomiting are
the main points. Magnesia or its carbonate should be given freely in
mucilaginous fluids. Oils had better be avoided, except for the purpose
of removing all traces of the poison by the stomach-pump. Prompt
treatment is all in all.
_Detection._--There is but one really satisfactory plan for detecting
phosphorus in organic mixtures, that invented by Mitscherlich. The
suspected material is introduced into a retort, and acidulated with
sulphuric acid. The stem of the retort is conducted into a glass vessel
kept cool by a stream of water on the outside. The retort is heated, and
distillation allowed to go on in the dark. If phosphorus be present it
passes over as vapor, and is condensed in the cool vessel beyond. At
each condensation a flash of light is perceived, which is the test
relied on.
CHRONIC POISONING by phosphorus used to be exceedingly common among
match manufacturers, but is now, comparatively speaking, rare,
allotropic or amorphous phosphorus being much more generally employed
than it used to be, and the ventilation of the workshops being better.
Its subjects used to be attacked with caries of the gums, gradually
extending and implicating the jaw, and giving rise to great deformity.