Chapter VI: Part IV: Acids and Alkalies

SULPHURIC ACID--HYDROCHLORIC ACID--NITRIC ACID--ACETIC ACID--AMMONIA
--POTASH--SODA--NEUTRAL SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AND AMMONIUM SALTS.

I. SULPHURIC ACID.

51. Varieties and Strength of the Sulphuric Acids of Commerce--
Properties of the Acid--Nordhausen Sulphuric Acid, 75, 76
52. Properties of Sulphuric Anhydride, 76
53. Occurrence of Free Sulphuric Acid in Nature, 76
54. Statistics--Comparative Statistics of different Countries, 76, 77
55. Accidental, Suicidal, and Criminal Poisoning--Sulphuric Acid in
Clysters and Injections, 77, 78
56. Fatal Dose, 78, 79
57. Local Action of Sulphuric Acid--Effects on Mucous Membrane, on
the Skin, on Blood, 79, 80
58. Action of Sulphuric Acid on Earth, Grass, Wood, Paper, Carpet,
Clothing, Iron--Caution necessary in judging of Spots--
Illustrative Case, 80, 81
59. Symptoms--(1) External Effects--(2) Internal Effects in the
Gullet and Stomach--Intercostal Neuralgia, 81-83
60. Treatment of Acute Poisoning by the Mineral Acids, 83
61. _Post-mortem_ Appearances--Rapid and Slow Poisoning--
Illustrative Cases, 83-85
62. Pathological Preparations in the different London Hospital
Museums, 85, 86
63. Chronic Poisoning, 86

_Detection and Estimation of Free Sulphuric Acid._

64. General Method of Separating the Free Mineral Acids--The Quinine
Process--The Old Process of Extraction by Alcohol--Hilger’s Test
for Mineral Acid, 87, 88
65. The Urine--Excretion of Sulphates in Health and Disease--The
Characters of the Urine after taking Sulphuric Acid, 88-90
66. The Blood in Sulphuric Acid Poisoning, 90
67. The Question of the Introduction of Sulphates by the Food--
Largest possible Amount of Sulphates introduced by this Means--
Sulphur of the Bile--Medicinal Sulphates, 90, 91

II. HYDROCHLORIC ACID.

68. General Properties of Hydrochloric Acid--Discovery--Uses--
Tests, 91, 92
69. Statistics, 92, 93
70. Fatal Dose, 93
71. Amount of Free Acid in the Gastric Juice, 93, 94
72. Influence of Hydrochloric Acid on Vegetation--Present Law on the
Subject of Acid Emanations from Works--The Resistant Powers of
various Plants, 94
73. Action on Cloth and Manufactured Articles, 95
74. Poisonous Effects of Hydrochloric Acid Gas--Eulenberg’s
Experiments on Rabbits and Pigeons, 95, 96
75. Effects of the Liquid Acid--Absence of Corrosion of the Skin--
Pathological Appearances--Illustrative Cases, 96, 97
76. _Post-mortem_ Appearances--Preparations in the different London
Museums, 97, 98
77. (1) Detection of Free Hydrochloric Acid--Günzburg’s Test--A.
Villiers’s and M. Favolle’s Test--(2) Quantitative Estimation,
Sjokvist’s Method--Braun’s Method, 98-101
78. Method of Investigating Hydrochloric Acid Stains on Cloth,
&c., 101, 102

III. NITRIC ACID.

79. Properties of Nitric Acid, 102, 103
80. Use in the Arts, 103
81. Statistics, 103
82. Fatal Dose, 104
83. Action on Vegetation, 104
84. Effects of Nitric Acid Vapour--Experiments of Eulenberg and O.
Lassar--Fatal Effect on Man, 104, 105
85. Effects of Liquid Nitric Acid--Suicidal, Homicidal, and
Accidental Deaths from the Acid, 105, 106
86. Local Action, 106
87. Symptoms--The Constant Development of Gas--Illustrative
Cases, 106, 107
88. _Post-mortem_ Appearances--Preparations in various Anatomical
Museums, 107-109
89. Detection and Estimation of Nitric Acid, 109, 110

IV. ACETIC ACID.

90. Symptoms and Detection, 110

V. AMMONIA.

91. Properties of Ammonia, 111
92. Uses--Officinal and other Preparations, 111, 112
93. Statistics of Poisoning by Ammonia, 112
94. Poisoning by Ammonia Vapour, 112
95. Symptoms--Illustrative Case, 112, 113
96. Chronic Effects of the Gas, 113
97. Ammonia in Solution--Action on Plants, 113
98. Action on Human Beings and Animal Life--Local Action on Skin--
Action on the Blood--Time of Death, 113-115
99. _Post-mortem_ Appearances, 115
100. Separation of Ammonia--Tests, 115, 116
101. Estimation of Ammonia, 116

VI. CAUSTIC POTASH AND SODA.

102. Properties of Potassium Hydrate, 116, 117
103. Pharmaceutical Preparations, 117
104. Carbonate of Potash, 117
105. Bicarbonate of Potash, 117
106. Caustic Soda--Sodium Hydrate, 117, 118
107. Carbonate of Soda, 118
108. Bicarbonate of Soda, 118
109. Statistics, 118
110. Effects on Animal and Vegetable Life, 118, 119
111. Local Effects, 119
112. Symptoms, 119
113. _Post-mortem_ Appearances, 119-121
114. Chemical Analysis, 121
115. Estimation of the Fixed Alkalies, 121, 122

VII. NEUTRAL SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AND AMMONIUM SALTS.

116. Relative Toxicity of Sodium, Potassium, and Ammonium Salts, 122
117. Sodium Salts, 122
118. Potassium Salts--Potassic Sulphate--Hydropotassic Tartrate--
Statistics, 122
119. Action on the Frog’s Heart, 122
120. Action on Warm-Blooded Animals, 122, 123
121. Elimination, 123
122. Nitrate of Potash, 123
123. Statistics, 123
124. Uses in the Arts, 123
125. Action of Nitrates of Sodium and Potassium--Sodic
Nitrite, 123, 124
126. _Post-mortem_ Appearances from Poisoning by Potassic Nitrate, 124
127. Potassic Chlorate, 124
128. Uses, 124
129. Poisonous Properties, 124
130. Experiments on Animals, 124, 125
131. Effects on Man--Illustrative Cases of the Poisoning of Children
by Potassic Chlorate, 125
132. Effects on Adults--Least Fatal Dose, 126
133. Elimination, 126
134. Essential Action of Potassic Chlorate on the Blood and
Tissues, 126
135. Detection and Estimation of Potassic Chlorate, 126, 127

_Toxicological Detection of Alkali Salts._

136. Natural occurrence of Potassium and Sodium Salts in the Blood
and Tissues--Tests for Potassic and Sodic Salts--Tests for
Potassic Nitrate--Tests for Chlorates--Ammonium Salts, 127, 128