ABORTIVES.
SUBSTANCES PRODUCING ABORTION.
This group, though far from a natural one, is nevertheless convenient.
It comprehends a great variety of substances, first among which comes.
ERGOT OF RYE (_Spurred Rye_, _Secale cornatum_).--The grain of wheat,
barley, oats, and rye is apt to be attacked by a parasitic fungus which
imparts to it specific properties. This substance has the power of
inducing contraction of unstriped muscular fibre, especially in the
smaller arteries and uterus. Ergotised grain, in full doses, gives rise
to lassitude, headache, nausea, and diarrhoea. From small quantities,
frequently repeated, gangrene of the extremities has resulted. The
peculiar influence of ergot on the muscular coat of the uterus renders
this agent a valuable medicine when we wish to induce powerful
contractions, but in the hands of the ill-intentioned it is frequently
used to procure abortion; but its action in this way is far from
certain, and at all times dangerous.
Savin and its oil are irritant poisons, only indirectly affecting the
uterus; nevertheless, they not unfrequently are used to induce
miscarriage.
Oil of Tansy has also been employed in America as an abortive agent, and
in three instances, at least, has caused death.
The Yew (_Taxus baccata_), which has acquired in certain districts a
reputation as an abortive, acts as do some others, by producing
irritation of the bowels, and so communicating a kind of stimulus to
the uterus. The leaves and berries of the yew have both proved fatal,
commonly with irritant symptoms; but those of coma have also been
observed.
In America extract of Cotton-wood has a reputation as an abortive.
APPENDIX.
I. BITES OF VENOMOUS REPTILES.--The poisonous reptiles provided with
fangs are the Ophidia, or Serpents.
Accidents from serpents' bites rarely, of course, happen in this
country, but are of frequent occurrence in India, Australia, and
America.
On the morning of the 20th October, 1852, one of the keepers at the
Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park, was wounded by a cobra, which
he had removed from its cage and was playing with. For twenty minutes
after the animal bit him at the root of the nose no peculiar symptoms
were manifested, and the part was merely bathed with water. Forty
minutes afterwards the man was admitted into University College
Hospital, his face then being livid, respiration impeded, and the power
of locomotion imperfect. He pointed to his throat as the seat of pain,
but could not speak, and was unable to swallow. Artificial respiration
was employed for fifty minutes, and subsequently galvanism; but stupor
rapidly succeeded to faintness, and the patient died comatose fifty-five
minutes after admission. The chief appearances found on dissection were
an unnatural fluidity and blackness of the blood, with great congestion
of the lungs and spleen.
The only poisonous reptile indigenous to this country is the _common
viper_ or _adder_. It is found on the heaths and in the dry woods of all
parts of England, Scotland, and Wales, and is much feared on account of
its venom. Very few cases are known in which the bite of this animal has
proved fatal. In May, 1862, a little boy, at Burgess Hill, near
Brighton, clambered up a bank, to examine a bird's nest. Groping with
his hand among the moss, he felt, as he thought, a sharp prick from a
thorn. It turned out to be a bite from an adder. As the real cause of
the wound was not suspected, the swelling of the hand and arm was not
properly attended to until too late, and the poor child died on the
second day.
The poison apparatus of the viper consists of a gland placed by the side
of the head, a duct, and a fang or pointed curved tooth, moulded in the
form of a tube on either side. On being bitten, the person has pain in
the wounded part, which quickly becomes severe and extends up the
adjoining tissues. The limb swells greatly, becomes red and livid; while
faintness soon sets in, and the pulse gets rapid and small. Bilious
vomitings, dyspnoea, profuse cold sweats, jaundice, delirium, and
convulsions, have also been noticed. In a few days the symptoms usually
amend; but in weak sickly individuals gangrene of the limb may follow,
or death may occur in the course of two or three days.
The _treatment_ of the bites of venomous reptiles must be local and
constitutional. Immediately the wound is inflicted it should be sucked
freely and perseveringly. If the patient is too faint to do this for
himself, a bystander may fearlessly help him; for it is well known that
these poisons may be smeared upon the lips and tongue, or even
swallowed, with impunity. At the same time a ligature is to be placed
around the limb, above the wound; or if this be impossible, from its
situation, the textures around are to be compressed. Then, the bitten
part may be excised; or it may be destroyed by the actual cautery,
nitric acid, the strong liquor ammoniae, or nitrate of silver.
Professor Halford, of the University of Melbourne, in a paper published
at the commencement of 1869, recommended the injection of liquor ammoniae
into the veins for snake bite. Of twenty cases of snake bite since
treated in this manner, by different practitioners, recovery occurred in
seventeen. The snakes were all venomous, and included the tiger snake,
the brown and black snake of Australia, &c. These, according to
Professor Halford, are as deadly as the cobra and rattlesnakes of India.
The plan of proceeding is to expose the vein, and then to pierce its
coats with the sharp point of a hypodermic syringe containing the
officinal liquor ammoniae--sp. grav. 0.959. At least thirty minims are to
be employed; the dose being repeated as the power of the preceding
injection is expended. Professor Halford formerly thought that in
consequence of the entrance of the snake poison into the blood a rapid
growth of new cells occurred, which took up and exhausted the fibrin and
oxygen of the blood, and rendered them incapable of ministering to the
wants of the system. He now thinks that the new corpuscles are only the
white corpuscles of the blood altered and enlarged, the change in them
being caused by an alteration in the liquor sanguinis; this alteration
being, in fact, a disappearance of the fibrin under the action of the
poison. The ammonia is believed to counteract this power, and in favor
of this view many Australian physicians have spoken strongly. Dr.
Fayrer, however, has found the proceeding a failure in India. This
gentleman is of opinion that the activity of the poison in some Indian
snakes is so great that it is impossible to counteract it by any
method.
The constitutional remedies are derived chiefly from the class of
diffusible stimulants. No agent is more generally recommended than
ammonia; and therefore the officinal compound tincture of ammonia
(formerly known as eau de luce) should be given in half-drachm doses,
well diluted; or the aromatic spirits of ammonia may be administered in
the proportion of two drachms to an ounce and a half of water. Supposing
that no ammonia is at hand, brandy will prove an excellent substitute.
Transfusion of blood has been likewise recommended; but I do not know of
any instance in which it has been resorted to.
II. BITES OF RABID ANIMALS.--As the subject of Hydrophobia is fully
treated of in Dr. Tanner's work on "The Practice of Medicine," remarks
are here confined to the treatment to be adopted directly a person is
bitten by a rabid animal. This is briefly as follows:--The tissues round
the seat of injury are to be compressed by a ligature or otherwise, to
prevent absorption. Then the wounded part is to be excised as soon as
possible; taking care to remove every portion touched by the animal's
teeth, and to obtain a clean raw surface. The wound should then be
thoroughly washed by a stream of water, long poured over it, and lunar
caustic afterwards applied. Mr. Youatt prefers the nitrate of silver,
freely used, to every other caustic; and he also recommends that after
its application the wound should be quickly healed, though many
authorities advise that it be kept open by irritating ointments. As
these operations are very painful, there is no objection to the patient
being placed under the influence of chloroform. He should afterwards be
assured that everything has been done to prevent any subsequent
mischief; and to give him greater confidence and to banish all fear from
his mind, it may be as well to administer ammonia and bark for some days
after the accident.
III. STINGS OF BEES, ETC.--The poison apparatus of the common bee
consists of glands, and a sting placed at the extremity of the body. The
effect of the bite is usually slight, and the pain quickly passes off.
In some few instances, however, there have resulted swelling and
erysipelas, or suppuration and gangrene, or even death.
In the month of August, 1819, John Trevalli, of Pennsylvania, was stung
by a bee in the middle finger of his right hand. He immediately became
faint and insensible to surrounding objects; his complexion was livid,
his breathing slow, and the perspiration saturated his clothes. At the
end of an hour and a half he was bled, and recovered. On the 21st July,
1820, he was stung in the temple by a bumble bee. His wife was present
and gave him some water, but in ten minutes he was dead.--(_American
Journal of Medical Sciences_, Vol. 19, p. 265. Philadelphia, 1836.) Two
other rapidly fatal cases are noticed in the same journal, as well as
two examples of death from the sting of a wasp and one from the bite of
a spider.
Mr. C. Hanbury has recorded a case of death from the sting of a bee
(_Medical Times and Gazette_, p. 232. 10th March, 1860); and has also
given short abstracts of several examples collected by Dr. Crisp, where
severe symptoms have resulted from the same injury. Sir Benjamin Brodie
(_Lectures on Pathology and Surgery_, p. 286. London, 1846) says he has
seen a case in which sloughing of the cellular tissue followed from a
leech bite, and another in which similar mischief followed the sting of
a bee. Both the patients died.
And again, in a communication from Montbard (_La Patrie_, 19th
September, 1858) it is stated that a youth sixteen years of age was
drinking from a bottle, when a wasp, which he had not seen, got into his
throat and wounded him. He died suffocated by the swelling, before any
assistance could be procured.
According to Messrs. Kirby and Spence (_Introduction to Entomology_,
Seventh Edition, p. 76, London, 1856), serious effects are sometimes
produced on peculiar constitutions by eating freely of honey or from
partaking of mead--a drink made by fermenting honey and water. These
authors state that they knew a lady upon whom such things acted like
poison, and they had heard of instances in which death was the
consequence. Sometimes, when the bees have extracted their sweets from
poisonous plants, these injurious results have not been confined to
individuals of a particular habit. Thus, according to Dr. Barton
(_American Philosophical Transactions_, vol. 5), there were numerous
deaths in the autumn and winter of 1790 from eating honey collected in
the neighborhood of Philadelphia, which, on inquiry, was found to be due
to this substance having been extracted from the beautiful but poisonous
flowers of the Kalmia latifolia.
* * * * *
The following Table from Dr. Garrod's "Materia Medica" shows the
proportions in which some of the more important drugs of the
"Pharmacopoeia" are contained in the Officinal Preparations.
ANTIMONY.
(TARTAR EMETIC.)
1/4 gr. of tartarated antimony is contained in 1 fl. drm. of vinum
antimoniale.
1 gr. of tartarated antimony is contained in 5 gr. of unguentum
antimonii tartarati.
(OXIDE OF ANTIMONY.)
1 gr. of oxide of antimony is contained in 3 gr. of pulvis
antimonialis.
ARSENIC.
(ARSENIOUS ACID, WHITE ARSENIC.)
1/24 gr. of arsenious acid is contained in 5 min. of liquor
arsenicalis.
1/24 gr. of arsenious acid is contained in 5 min. of liquor arsenici
hydrochloricus.
(ARSENIATE OF SODA.)
1/24 gr. of arseniate of soda (dried) is contained in 5 min. of liquor
sodae arseniatis.
MERCURY.
(METALLIC.)
1 gr. of mercury is contained in 3 gr. of hydrargyrum cum creta.
1 gr. of mercury is contained in 3 gr. of pilula hydrargyri.
1 gr. of mercury is contained in 2 gr. of unguentum hydrargyri.
(HYDRARGYRI PERCHLORIDUM.)
1/16 gr. of perchloride of mercury is contained in 1 fl. drm. of liquor
hydrargyri perchloridi.
(HYDRARGYRI SUBCHLORIDUM, OR CALOMEL.)
1 gr. of subchloride of mercury (calomel) is contained in 5 gr. of
pilula hydrargyri subchloridi composita.
1 gr. of subchloride of mercury (Calomel) is contained in about 6-1/2
gr. of unguentum hydrargyri subchloridi.
ACONITE.
1 gr. of dried aconite root is contained in about 9 min. of tinctura
aconiti.
ACONITIA.
8 gr. of aconitia are contained in one oz. of unguentum aconitiae.
ATROPIA.
1 gr. of atropia is contained in 2 fl. drm. of liquor atropiae.
1 gr. of sulphate of atropia in 2 fl. drm. of liquor atropiae sulphatis.
8 gr. of atropia are contained in 1 oz. of unguentum atropiae.
BELLADONNA.
1 gr. of dried belladonna is contained in about 22 min. of tinctura
belladonnae.
Each fluid part of linimentum belladonae contains the active portion of
a solid part of the dried root.
CANNIBIS INDICA.
1 gr. of alcoholic extract of Indian hemp is contained in about 22 min.
of tinctura cannabis Indicae.
CANTHARIDES.
1 gr. of cantharides is contained in about 88 min. of tinctura
cantharidis.
COLCHICUM.
1 gr. of dried corm of colchicum is contained in about 5-1/2 min. of
vinum colchici.
1 gr. of colchicum seeds is contained in about 9 min. of tinctura
colchici.
DIGITALIS.
1 gr. of dried leaves of digitalis is contained in about 9 min. of
tinctura digitalis.
HEMLOCK.
1 gr. of hemlock fruit is contained in about 9 min. of tinctura conii.
IPECACUANHA.
1 gr. of ipecacuanha root is contained in about 22 min. of vinum
ipecacuanhae.
1 gr. ipecacuanha root is contained in _twelve_ morphia and ipecacuanha
lozenges.
1 gr. of ipecacuanha root is contained in 4 ipecacuanha lozenges.
NUX VOMICA.
1 gr. of nux vomica seed is contained in about 11 min. of tinctura
nucis vomicae.
(STRYCHNIA.)
1 gr. of strychnia is contained in 2 fl. drm. of liquor strychniae.
OPIUM.
(ACETATE OF MORPHIA.)
1/4 gr. of acetate of morphia is contained in 30 min. of liquor morphiae
acetatis.
(HYDROCHLORATE OF MORPHIA.)
1/4 gr. of hydrochlorate of morphia is contained in 30 min. of liquor
morphiae hydrochloratis.
1/4 gr. of hydrochlorate of morphia is contained in _nine_ morphia
lozenges.
1/4 gr. of hydrochlorate of morphia is contained in _nine_ morphia and
ipecacuanha lozenges.
1/2 grain of hydrochlorate of morphia is contained in _each_ morphia
suppository.
(OPIUM DRIED SUFFICIENTLY TO BE POWDERED.)
1 gr. of opium is contained in 14-1/2 min. of tinctura opii.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 14-1/2 min. of vinum opii.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 1/2 fl. oz. of tinctura camphorae
composita.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 96 min. of tinctura opii ammoniata.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 1 fl. oz. of enema opii.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 5 gr. of pilula saponis composita.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 8 gr. of pilula plumbi cum opio.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 10 gr. of pulvis ipecacuanhae compositus.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 20 gr. of pulvis kino compositus.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 40 gr. of pulvis cretae aromaticus cum
opio.
1 gr. of opium is contained in 10 gr. of pulvis opii compositus.
1 gr. of opium is contained in about 13-1/2 gr. of unguentum gailae cum
opio.
1 gr. of opium is contained in _ten_ opium lozenges.
1 gr. of opium equals about 1/2 gr. of extractum opii.
1 gr. of extract of opium is contained in 22 min. of extractum opii
liquidum.
INDEX.
Absorption of poisons, 16
Acetate of lead, 86
morphia, 97
Acetic acid, 47
Acid of sugar, 43
Acids, mineral, 35
vegetable, 43
Aconite, 122
Aconitia, 122
Action of poisons, 16
Adder, the common, 139
AEthusa cynapium, 132
Agaricus campestris, 111
esculentus, 111
Alcohol, 108
Alkalies, poisoning by the, 52
Almonds, bitter, 124
Aloes, 57
Amanita, muscaria, 111
Ammonia, 48
Ammonio-chloride of mercury, 85
Amylene, 107
Anaesthetics, 102
Aniline, 109
Animal irritants, 58
Antidotes, 26
Antimonial compounds, 78
Aqua fortis, 38
regia, 40
reginae, 40
Argol, 53
Arrow-poison, 116
Arseniate of potash, 67
soda, 67
Arsenic, 66
Arsenic eating, 67
Arsenious acid, 69
Arsenite of copper, 67
potash, 67
Arum maculatum, 57
Asagraea officinalis, 134
Asp, bite of the, 140
Atropa belladonna, 113
Atropia, 113
Bacon, rancid, 58
Baryta and its salts, 53
Bees, stings of, 143
Belladonna, 113
Bichloride of mercury, 81
Bichromate of potash, 56
Binoxalate of potash, 43
Bismuth, 56
Bisulphide of arsenic, 67
Bisulphuret of mercury, 85
Bitartrate of potash, 53
Bites of rabid animals, 142
venomous reptiles, 139
Bitter almonds, 124
Bitter-sweet, 115
Black hellebore, 92
Blistering flies, 92
Blue vitrol, 90
Brick-kilns, vapor from, 135
Brucia, 117
Bryony, 57
Burnett's solution, 55
Butter of antimony, 80
Calomel, 85
Camphor, 110
Cantharides, 92
Carbonate of baryta, 54
lead, 87
potash, 48
soda, 48
Carbonic acid gas, 134
Carburetted hydrogen, 136
Castor oil seeds, 57
Caustic soda, 48
Ceruse, 87
Cevadilla seeds, 134
Champignons, 111
Charcoal vapor, 135
Cheese, decayed, 58
Chloride of antimony, 80
arsenic, 77
barium, 53
mercury, 85
zinc, 55
Chlorides of tin, 56
Chlorine, 59
Chloroform, 102
Chrome, 56
Chronic antimonial poisoning, 79
arsenical poisoning, 70
copper poisoning, 89
lead poisoning, 88
mercurial poisoning, 82
Cicuta virosa, 132
Cinnabar, 85
Classification of poisons, 32
Coal gas, 136
Cocculus Indicus, 110
Cockles, 58
Colchicia, 133
Colchicum, 133
Colic, 88
Colocynth, 57
Common hemlock, 132
salt, 13
Confectionery, poisonous, 67
Conia, 133
Conium, 132
Copper, arsenite of, 67
salts of, 89
Copperas, 56
Corrosive sublimate, 81
Crabs, 58
Cream of tartar, 53
Croton oil seeds, 57
Curare, 116
Cyanide of mercury, 85
potassium, 124
Cytisus laburnum, 92
Darnel seeds, 110
Daturia, 115
Datura stramonium, 115
Deadly nightshade, 113
Definition of a poison, 13
Diagnosis of poisoning, 19
Digitalin, 129
Digitalis purpurea, 129
Duties of the medical practitioner, 19
Eating of arsenic, 67
opium, 96
Effects of poisons, 15
Elaterium, 57
Emetics, 25
Ergot of rye, 137
Essence of bitter almonds, 124
mirbane, 109
Essential salt of lemons, 43
Ether, 106
Euphorbium, 57
Fish, poisonous, 58
Fool's parsley, 132
Foxglove, 129
Fungi, 111
Gamboge, 57
Garden-nightshade, 115
Gaseous test for arsenic, 74
Gases, irritant, 59
Goulard's extract, 87
Green vitrol, 56
Hartshorn, 49
Hellebore, black, 92
Hemlock, 132
Hemlock, water-dropwort, 132
Henbane, 112
Hierapicra, 51
Hocussing, 115
Holloway's pills, 57
Hydrochlorate of morphia, 97
Hydrochloric acid, 39
Hydrocyanic acid, 123
Hydrogen, carburetted, 136
sulphuretted, 136
Hydrophobia, 142
Hyoscyamus niger, 112
Indian tobacco, 133
Indigo, sulphate of, 40
Investigation of cases, 19
Iodide of potassium, 63
Iodine, 61
Iodism, 62
Iron, sulphate of, 56
Irritant gases, 59
poisons, 34
Jalap, 57
Ketchup, 111
Laburnum, 92
Laudanum, 95
Laurel water, 124
Lead and its preparations, 85
palsy, 88
Lemons, essential salt of, 43
Levant nut, 110
Lime, 53
Liquid mercury, 81
tests for arsenic, 74
Liquor ammoniae, 48
potassae, 48
Lobelia inflata, 133
Local action of poisons, 15
Lolium temulentum, 110
Lunar caustic, 56
Magistery of bismuth, 56
Marsh's test for arsenic, 75
Meadow saffron, 133
Meats, poisonous, 58
Meconic acid, 101
Medical witness, the duty of, 19
Medico-legal reports, 21
Menispermum cocculus, 110
Mercurial paralysis, 83
Mercury and its compounds, 81
Mesereon, 57
Metallic antimony, 78
arsenic, 66
lead, 85
Metals, compounds of the, 66
Mineral acids, 36
green, 67
Mirbane, essence of, 109
Mixed acids, 41
Monkshood, 122
Morphia, 97
Morrison's pills, 57
Muriatic acid, 39
Mushrooms, 111
Mussels, 58
Narcotic poisons, 95
Nicotiana tabacum, 131
Nicotin, 131
Nightshade, 115
Nitrate of bismuth, 56
potash, 52
silver, 56
mercury, 85
Nitre, 52
Nitric acid, 38
Nitro-benzole, 109
Nitro-muriatic acid, 40
Nitro-sulphuric acid, 40
Nitrous-oxide gas, 107
Nux-vomica, 117
OEnanthe crocata, 132
OEsophagus, stricture of the, 41
Oil of bitter almonds, 124
vitrol, 36
Opium, 95
Opium-eating, 96
Orpiment, 67
Oxalate of lime, 43
Oxalic acid, 43
Oxalis acetosella, 43
Oxides of lead, 87
Painter's colic, 87
Paralysis from lead, 86
mercury, 83
Pearlash, 48
Phellandrinum aquaticum, 132
Phosphorus, 63
Picrotoxine, 110
Poison, definition of a, 13
Poisoning, diagnosis of, 19
treatment of, 27
Poison of vipers, 140
Poisonous confectionery, 67
fungi, 111
Poisons, absorption of, 14
classification of, 32
mode of action of, 14
sympathetic action of, 17
Potash, 48
arsenite of, 67
bichromate of, 56
binoxalate of, 43
bitartrate of, 53
carbonate of, 48
nitrate of, 52
sulphate of, 52
Potassa fusa, 48
Potassio-tartrate of antimony, 78
Potassium, iodide of, 63
Prussic acid, 123
Ptyalism, 83
Purple foxglove, 129
Rabid animals, bites of, 142
Realgar, 67
Red arsenic, 67
oxide of mercury, 85
precipitate, 85
spirit of nitre, 38
Reduction test for arsenic, 73
Reinsch's test for arsenic, 76
Remote effects of poisons, 15
Reptiles, bites of, 140
Rhubarb, 43
St. Ignatius' bean, 116
Sal de duobus, 52
Salivation, 83
Sal polychrest, 52
Salprunelle, 52
Salt of sorrel, 43
Saltpetre, 52
Salts of copper, 89
Sausages, 58
Savin, 137
Scammony, 57
Scheele's green, 67
hydrocyanic acid, 123
Secale cornutum, 137
Serpents, poisonous, 140
Sesquicarbonate of ammonia, 49
Shell-fish, 58
Silver, nitrate of, 56
Smelling-salts, 49
Soap-lees, 48
Soda, carbonate of, 48
Solania, 115
Solanum dulcamara, 115
nigrum, 115
Soothing syrups, 95
Sorrel, 43
salt of, 43
Spanish flies, 92
Spirit of salt, 39
Spiritous liquors, 108
Spotted hemlock, 132
Spurred rye, 137
Stings of bees, 143
Stomach-pump, 24
Stramonium, 115
Strychnia, 117
Subacetate of copper, 90
lead, 87
Subchloride of mercury, 85
Sugar, acid of, 43
of lead, 86
Sulphate of copper, 90
indigo, 40
iron, 56
potash, 52
zinc, 54
Sulphides of arsenic, 67
Sulphuretted hydrogen, 136
Sulphuric acid, 36
Sulphuric ether, 106
Sulphurous-acid gas, 59
Sympathetic action of poisons, 17
Symptoms of poisoning, 20
Tartar emetic, 78
Tartaric acid, 47
Tartarized antimony, 78
Taxus baccata, 137
Tersulphide of arsenic, 67
Thorn-apple, 115
Ticunas, 116
Tin, 56
Toadstools, 111
Tobacco, 131
Treatment of poisoning, 24
Vapor of ammonia, 49
Vegetable acids, 43
irritants, 57
Venomous reptiles, 140
Veratria, 133
Verdigris, 90
Vermilion, 85
Viper, the common, 139
Wasps, stings of, 143
Water-hemlock, 132
Water, impregnated with lead, 88
Water-parsnip, 132
White arsenic, 69
hellebore, 133
lead, 87
oxide of arsenic, 69
precipitate, 85
vitriol, 54
Wine containing lead, 88
Wolfsbane, 122
Wood sorrel, 43
Woody nightshade, 115
Woorara, 116
Yellow arsenic, 66
Yew, 137
Zinc, chloride of, 55
sulphate of, 54
THE END.
FOOTNOTES:
[A] In the year 1839, a young lady residing in the north of England took
about half a pound of salt to rid herself of worms. Very soon afterwards
she began to suffer from all the effects of an irritant poison, with
general paralysis; and in spite of the use of the stomach pump and of
antidotes, she died in a few hours. Dr. Christison has recorded two
somewhat similar cases.
[B] If not kept prepared, the remedy may be speedily got ready in any
chemist's shop in the following way: Mix together the contents of the
bottles containing tincture of the muriate of iron (the liquor ferri
perchloridi does as well) and liquor ammoniae fortior. Run the mixture
through a loose filter, saving the precipitate; turn filtering paper or
tow, if that has been used, and all into a vessel containing water,
agitate well, and use the precipitate by spoonfuls as it falls to the
bottom.
[C] Considering the reprehensible way in which pseudo-medical advice is
given in some newspapers and cheap periodicals, it is only surprising
that more cases of poisoning do not occur. Take the following example
(_Sunday Times_, 3d October, 1847), of a cure for dysentery: "Half a
noggin of logwood, well boiled and strained, half a glass of port wine,
and twenty drops of laudanum, have proved successful in checking
dysentry in adults. For children only fifteen drops of laudanum should
be used."
Transcriber's notes:
The following is a list of changes made to the original.
The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.
penal servitude for a term not exceding ten years.
penal servitude for a term not exceeding ten years.
wound in the foot, the symptons of poisoning
wound in the foot, the symptoms of poisoning
the symptons of poisoning do not occur.
the symptoms of poisoning do not occur.
must not be forgetten that sometimes a poisonous
must not be forgotten that sometimes a poisonous
of the nervous sysem; and in a third, a combination
of the nervous system; and in a third, a combination
acid is given off, after which sulphretted
acid is given off, after which sulphuretted
indentity; arsenic and antimony may thus be readily
identity; arsenic and antimony may thus be readily
some on certain nerves only, or on the basomotor
some on certain nerves only, or on the vasomotor
In classification table:
Strychina.
Strychnia.
rhubarb (Rheum Rhaponticum.) It can hardly be
rhubarb (Rheum Rhaponticum). It can hardly be
with oxalic acid (oxalate of copper,) which is
with oxalic acid (oxalate of copper), which is
intestines were found much inflammed.
intestines were found much inflamed.
found in commerce, is int he form of grey-colored
found in commerce, is in the form of grey-colored
pain in the stomach, with vomiting, &c., the symtoms
pain in the stomach, with vomiting, &c., the symptoms
perchloride of mecury; and
perchloride of mercury; and
Arsenic is not a poison that accmulates in the
Arsenic is not a poison that accumulates in the
become oxydized, and octahedral crystals
become oxidized, and octahedral crystals
mucous membrance of the stomach; but oil or
mucous membrane of the stomach; but oil or
which require to be noticed, mamely, Marsh's process,
which require to be noticed, namely, Marsh's process,
is almost, or even quite, suppresed. After a time
is almost, or even quite, suppressed. After a time
that thirty pounds of this substance were accidently
that thirty pounds of this substance were accidentally
often terminates in "lead palsy." In these instaces
often terminates in "lead palsy." In these instances
CHLOROFORM--CHLORAL--BICHLORIDE OF METHLYENE--ETHER--AMYLENE--NITROUS
CHLOROFORM--CHLORAL--BICHLORIDE OF METHYLENE--ETHER--AMYLENE--NITROUS
"sucking the monkey," as practiced in the docks
"sucking the monkey," as practised in the docks
very insoluble in water, soluable in alcohol or
very insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol or
and though digitaline was not separated
and though digitalin was not separated
digitaline. The woman's symptoms, which were
digitalin. The woman's symptoms, which were
TOBACCO (_Nicotiana tabacum_)--All parts of this
TOBACCO (_Nicotiana tabacum_).--All parts of this
of the pupils surpervened, and death occurred
of the pupils supervened, and death occurred
themselvers "medical botanists" (more appropriately
themselves "medical botanists" (more appropriately
causes are noticed in the same journal, as well as
cases are noticed in the same journal, as well as
1 gr. of alcholic extract of Indian hemp is contained
1 gr. of alcoholic extract of Indian hemp is contained
1 gr. of died corm of colchicum is contained in
1 gr. of dried corm of colchicum is contained in
cretae aro maticus cum opio.
cretae aromaticus cum opio.
In Index:
Detura
Datura
Deturia
Daturia
Nicotina
Nicotin
Nitro-benzol
Nitro-benzole
Phellandrium
Phellandrinum
Picrotoxin
Picrotoxine
Secale cornutum
Secale cornatum
End of Project Gutenberg's Memoranda on Poisons, by Thomas Hawkes Tanner