These must be regarded as the most terrible of all corrosive poisons.
Their action is so immediate and energetic, as generally to destroy the
membranes of the stomach, before their peculiar antidotes can be
applied. Notwithstanding the obvious suffering they must occasion, and
the facility with which they may be detected, such bodies have
frequently, especially in France, been the instruments of suicide and
murder; whilst in this country, we have had many lamentable
illustrations of their deadly force, by their ingestion from fatal
carelessness. In conformity with our general plan we shall proceed to
consider the individual substances included under this general class,
although the symptoms do not materially differ in the different kinds,
nor are the indications of cure peculiar to any of them. There are
however chemical characters which exclusively belong to each acid, with
which the forensic physician must be accurately acquainted, in order
that he may be enabled to detect their presence.