Poisons


Poisons. (Venena).

THE word poison has come now by general consent and usage to designate any substance which, through the blood, has a deadly or …


(Venena).

THE word poison has come now by general consent and usage to designate any substance which, through the blood, has a deadly or noxious action upon living beings. Some poisons act in minute, others in comparatively large, doses. The former are termed deadly, being often rapidly fatal in small doses.

The primitive use of poisons was for the purpose of anointing arrows: hence the Greek word for poison (—-) derives its origin from (—–), which signifies a bow. This custom dates from the earliest antiquity, when men earned their means of subsistence by the bow, and is prevalent among savage tribes at the present time.

Poisons have been arranged by toxicologists into three groups, according to their action upon the animal economy, as follows:-

I. IRRITANT POISONS, or those which produce irritation or inflammation, as the mineral acids, oxalic acid, arsenic, mercury, copper, antimony, zinc, lead, baryta, and cantharides.

II. NARCOTIC POISONS, or those which produce stupor, delirium, and other affections of the brain and nervous system; as, opium, hydrocyanic acid, and poisonous gases.

III. NARCOTIC-IRRITANT POISONS, or those which produce sometimes irritation, sometimes narcotism, sometimes both together; these are chiefly derived from the vegetable kingdom, as, strychnia, monkshood, and poisonous fungi.

But it is to be remembered that the chief irritant poisons, like the narcotics, have a specific remote poisonous effects upon the blood, nervous system, and body generally, besides their local irritant operation upon the part to which they are immediately applied.

In cases of suspected poisoning symptoms should be carefully watched and noted; the evacuations should be inspected; the vomit and urine submitted to chemical examination; and, if death occur, a post-mortem examination should be made.

In our observations on the most common poisons, our aim has been to embody such practical points as are most necessary to be remembered. The following is the list included in this chapter.

1. Arsenic.

White Arsenic, or Arsenious Acid, is an intensely irritant poison, two grains having been known to destroy life. When criminally employed, it is more commonly used for murder than of suicide; is generally given in some article of food, and, in small quantities, has no appreciable taste. Hence, also, it has often led to accidental poisoning. Hence, also, it has often led to accidental poisoning. It has been sold for “Salts” or “Magnesia,” and used instead of the plaster-of-Paris in the adulteration of sweets. In farming districts, second hand stone jars have repeatedly proved dangerous. Mr. Freeman reports reports two cases in which stone jars were used for the storage of wine or jam, which had previously been used for the solution containing Arsenic employed in sheep-dipping, and in each instance serious-illness resulted, proving fatal to one man. Some years ago there was a serious epidemic of arsenical poisoning traced to the use of beer which had come to contain small quantities of Arsenic, owing to the use of artificially prepared glucose in its manufacture. It is sparingly soluble in cold water, two-and-a-half parts only being taken up by 1,000 parts of water.

SYMPTOMS.- These come on, if the dose has been moderately large, in about an hour after the poison is taken; but the time and also the severity of the symptoms vary according to the state of fulness of the stomach at the time, and the digestibility of the vehicle in which it is swallowed. There are faintness, nausea, great pain and burning heat in the stomach, an incessant desire for cold drinks, and violent vomiting of brown matter streaked with blood. By vomiting, much of the poison may be ejected, together with the common contents of the stomach, and a great deal of mucus, which is probably secreted as a defence. The skin is generally cold and clammy, but has sometimes been found very hot. In fatal cases the countenance becomes pale, sunken, and expressive of great torture and anxiety; the pulse grows small, feeble, rapid, and soon imperceptible. The pain spreads over the abdomen, which becomes tense and tender, sometimes swollen, sometimes drawn in at the navel; diarrhoea comes on with severe tenesmus, and sometimes bloody evacuations; there is also strangury, priapism, and congestion of the testicles. Finally, difficulty of breathing supervenes, the conjunctivae become dry, red, swollen and injected, and delirium, stupor, or convulsions precede death, which usually occurs on the third day, unless a large quantity has been taken, when the patient suffers much less, and sinks in about twenty-four hours.

If the patient survive the third day, or has had small doses frequently repeated, he will suffer from Gastritis and Enteritis. Even if he finally recover, he will long experience pain in the abdomen, imperfect digestion, sickness, emaciation, falling off of the hair, and other symptoms of chronic arsenical poisoning.

TREATMENT.- Evacuate the contents of the stomach by an emetic (3j zinci sulph. :- tartar emetic should be avoided), or by tickling the finger of a feather; this is better than the stomach-pump, because Arsenic is heavy and somewhat insoluble, and would not probably be washed up. If, however, vomiting be already severe, fluids (cold, never warm) are only necessary to assist in clearing the stomach; the best being milk, which is bland, and may, as it curdles, partly envelope the poison., Taylor recommends equal parts of oil and lime-water. These may be given both before and after the vomiting has begun. A dos of castor oil, to clear away any of the poison that has left the stomach and entered the bowel may be of service. Linseed tea and other farinaceous decoctions are also useful; thy may be thickened with Magnesia, with which Arsenic forms an insoluble compound. A chief source of danger in arsenical poisoning is the want of any effectual antidote; the Hydrated Peroxide of Iron, which may be produced in a moment by addition of Liq. Ammoniae of Tincture of Iron, has the most repute, but is so little to be depended on that it should be postponed until after the stomach has been cleared as far as possible by vomiting. M. Carl affirms that Hydrated Magnesia, or a mixture of Magnesia and sugar may e relied on is arsenical poisoning. Poultices and fomentations should be applied over the abdomen.

TESTS FOR ARSENIC.- Place a piece of bright copper foil in a test-tube, cover with pure Hydrochloric Acid, and apply heat. If the foil remain bright, we have evidence that the acid and copper do not contain Arsenic. Add an equal quantity of the suspected fluid, and apply heat again. If arsenic be present in the fluid, the copper will now turn white or grey. On evaporating the moisture from the surface of the copper foil, and slowly heating it in a test-tube, a ring of Arsenic will be deposited to the cooler part of the tube.

If ammonio-nitrate of silver be added to the solution a rich arsenic of silver will be precipitated, changing to greenish brown.

The addition of ammonia-sulphate of copper to the solution will precipitate the rich green known as Scheele’s green, or arsenite of copper.

ARSENICAL WALL-PAPERS.- This subject has occupied much public attention; and unquestionably a very large number of affection shave been clearly traced by the profession to the use of such papers, while Dr. Stenhouse and others have, on analysis, discovered in them quantities of arsenic, varying from a trace to 14 grains to the square foot. Flannels and other fabrics are also said to be coloured by means of Arsenic. And where papers and articles of clothing are not coloured by Arsenic, the bright aniline dyes are sometimes fixed by an arsenical mordant. The prominent symptoms induced are very similar to those of Hay Asthma, and may be thus summarized; Eyes-bloodshot, sore, smarting, dim; photophobia; Nose-red, swollen, mucous membrane itching, smarting, with constant flow and sudden violent fits of sneezing, loss of smell, inability to breathe through the nose; Mouth-soreness, ulcers, loss of state; Tongue-dry, white; Voice- nasal; Face and Teeth-neuralgic pains; Forehead-sense of weight in frontal sinuses; Throat-soreness, dryness, nauseating greasy impression at the back; Lungs-bronchial affections; Stomach and Bowels-indigestion, thirst; retching, vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery; Skin-irritation, eruptions, boils; Muscles and Bones- sufferings simulating Rheumatism; Brain and Nervous System- irritation occasioning great irritability of temper; depression of spirits; Neuralgia, and symptoms of peripheral Neuritis; Urine-scanty and highly-coloured; all ailments intensified at night; general prostration, and now slow emaciation. The Turkish- bath, in suitable cases, is said to be a valuable agent in eliminating the poison, and a course of Sulphur waters is very often of service.

TEST FOR WALL-PAPER.- Place a drop of Liquor Ammoniae on the suspected paper, and if it change the colour to blue, the probability is that copper and Arsenic are present. But a more satisfactory test is applied as follows :- Place a small piece of the material in a test tube, pour in about a drachm of dilute Hydro-chloric Acid, and boil it over a spirit lamp. The Acid dissolves the Arsenite of Copper and assumes a green colour. Pour off the liquid into another test-tube, and add a few drops of solution of Hydrosulphate of Ammonia, or pass Sulphuretted Hydrogen gas through the liquid. A copious brown precipitate forms; this is mainly composed of Copper Sulphide, with which the Arsenic Sulphide is mixed. Now add an excess of Liquor Ammoniae; this dissolves the Arsenic Sulphide. but not the Copper Sulphide. The ammoniacal solution of the Arsenic Sulphide is separated by filtration, and now the neutralization of the Ammonia by Hydrochloric Acid throw down the yellow Sulphide of Arsenic.

Edward Harris Ruddock
Ruddock, E. H. (Edward Harris), 1822-1875. M.D.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.

Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."