Chapter XLII: Of Compound Poisoning (1)

Having now investigated the three great classes of poisons in their relations to physiology, practice of physic, and medical jurisprudence, it will be necessary to offer a few observations on a subject of considerable medico-legal importance, which has been almost overlooked in systems of Toxicology,—Compound Poisoning.

When two poisons of different or opposite properties are administered about the same time in poisonous doses, the effects of the one may overpower and prevent the operation of the other, or they may merely modify the action of one another. In this manner the usual symptoms produced by one or by both may be entirely or in a great measure wanting; and even in the dead body the usual appearances occasioned by one or both may be modified or perhaps altogether absent.

Although in the course of reading I have met with a sufficient number of cases of the kind to show that compound poisoning is an object of some consequence to the medical jurist, the facts hitherto made public are not so numerous as to render a systematic arrangement of them practicable. The most advisable course, therefore, seems to be merely to describe for the present the cases which have been brought under my notice. These are as follows:

1. _Poisoning with Arsenic and Alcohol._—A man, after taking twelve ounces of whisky at a debauch, swallowed, an hour afterwards, while in a state of excitement, but not particularly drunk, a quantity of arsenic, the dose of which could not be ascertained. Fifteen minutes after the arsenic was taken medical aid was procured, upon which repeated attempts were made to produce vomiting by means of ipecacuan and sulphate of zinc, but to no purpose. The stomach-pump was therefore resorted to; and, after at least an hour had been spent in previous attempts by emetics, the stomach was cleared of a fluid in which arsenic was unequivocally detected. No symptom of poisoning with arsenic followed. As the man took the arsenic seven hours after a meal, when of course the powder would at once be brought freely in contact with the villous coat of the stomach, it must, I think, be inferred, that the operation of the arsenic was impeded or prevented by the narcotism previously induced by the ardent spirits. For this case I am indebted to a former pupil, Mr. King.

_Poisoning with Arsenic and Alcohol._—A case of the same description with the last, but which proved fatal in consequence of the large quantity of arsenic taken, has been related by Dr. Wood of Dumfries. A lad of seventeen, after a night’s debauch, swallowed half an ounce of arsenic early in the morning. In two hours and a half, when Dr. Wood first saw him, there was no symptom of poisoning with arsenic,—no symptom at all indeed but languor and drowsiness. A few minutes afterwards he had slight vomiting, which was repeatedly renewed by artificial means. For some hours the pulse was but little elevated. In eighteen hours he began to sink, and presented the usual constitutional symptoms of poisoning with arsenic; and in forty-one hours he expired. But from first to last he had scarcely any local symptom except vomiting, even although the stomach presented after death signs of violent irritation.[2557]

3. _Poisoning with Tartar-Emetic and Charcoal Fumes._—Under the head of poisoning with antimony, notice has already been taken of the case of a man who, after swallowing seventeen grains of tartar-emetic, attempted to commit suicide by suffocating himself with the fumes of burning charcoal. He recovered from both attempts, suffered severely from the usual narcotic effects of carbonic acid gas, but showed scarcely any symptom of the irritant action of tartar-emetic.[2558]

4. _Poisoning with Alcohol and with Laudanum._—Under the head of poisoning with opium, allusion has already been made to a remarkable case related by Mr. Shearman, where the usual effects of opium were much retarded in an individual who, at the time of swallowing the opium, was in a state of excitement from intoxication. For five hours there was no material stupor. But after that the usual narcotic symptoms supervened and eventually proved fatal.[2559] The excitement of intoxication, however, has not always the effect of suspending the action of opium; for in a case which came under my notice in the Infirmary of this city,—that of a woman, who swallowed an ounce and a half of laudanum while much intoxicated,—the usual narcotic symptoms were fully formed in an hour: and although the stomach-pump was applied soon afterwards, she expired in less than five hours from the time the laudanum was swallowed,—those who had charge of her before she was brought into the hospital having neglected to use the proper means for keeping her roused.

5. _Poisoning with Laudanum and Corrosive Sublimate._—Of all the cases of compound poisoning I have met with, the most remarkable is an instance which occurred in Edinburgh Castle, a few years ago, of poisoning with laudanum and corrosive sublimate. In this case, the individual, a young soldier, swallowed about the same time two drachms of the latter and half an ounce of the former. He had at first no violent symptoms whatever, indicating the operation of corrosive sublimate; which is an extremely rare occurrence. Afterwards he had frequent purging and tenesmus, with bloody stools and all the usual phenomena of violent dysentery, but no pain of belly, no tenderness even on firm pressure, no vomiting except under the use of emetics. On the fourth day a violent salivation set in; and under this and the dysenteric affection he became quickly exhausted, yet not so much, but that on the day of his death, the ninth after he took the poison, he was able to walk a little in his room without assistance. He died on the close-stool rather unexpectedly. I have unfortunately lost the original notes I had of this case, and have forgotten whether any narcotic symptoms were present at first; but my impression is that they were present, though in a slight degree only. Most of the previous particulars were communicated to me by the late Dr. Mackintosh. The stomach, duodenum, ileum, colon, and rectum were found after death enormously inflamed, ulcerated, and here and there almost gangrenous.—In this instance some of the corrosive sublimate must have been decomposed by the laudanum, and an insoluble meconate of mercury formed. But the quantity thus decomposed could have been but a small proportion of the whole,—as was indeed proved by the extensive ravages actually committed in the whole alimentary canal. I conceive, therefore, that there is no other way of accounting for the slight apparent effects of the corrosive sublimate, at the commencement particularly, than by supposing that the narcotic operation of the opium veiled or actually retarded the irritant action of the corrosive sublimate.

6. _Poisoning with Opium and Belladonna._—A lady, who used a compound infusion of opium and belladonna as a wash for an eruption in the vulva, took it into her head one day to use the wash as an injection; and actually received three successive injections, containing each the active matter of a scruple of opium and half an ounce of belladonna leaves. Fortunately none of the three was retained above a few minutes, except the last, which was not discharged for ten minutes. In less than an hour, she was found in bed in a deep sleep, but the true cause was not suspected till three hours later. She was then completely insensible and motionless, with the face pale, the pupils excessively dilated and not contractile, the pulse frequent and small, and the breathing hurried. After the use of purgative injections, blood-letting, leeches to the head, and sinapisms to the legs, she began in five hours to show some sign of returning consciousness, which improved after a fit of vomiting. When thoroughly roused, her vision continued dim, the pupils excessively dilated, and the ideas somewhat confused. For three days the pulse continued frequent, and the pupils somewhat dilated.[2560] Here the opium seems to have prevented the delirium usually induced by belladonna in the early stage, while on the other hand the belladonna prevented the usual effect of opium on the pupils, and actually produced the opposite action.

7. In the following cases, the active poisons to which the individuals were exposed were so numerous, that it is impossible to say which or how many of them occasioned the symptoms. A colour-maker was superintending a process in which cobalt, arsenic, mercury, sal-ammoniac, and nitric acid were subjected to heat in a mattrass, when the mattrass suddenly gave way, and a dense vapour was instantly discharged. The manufacturer, before he could escape, fell down insensible; and though speedily removed, he died in no long time, affected with enormous swelling of the abdomen. A workman who was also present, escaped by a window; but was nevertheless immediately attacked with swelling of the belly, which speedily became very great, and was attended with pain in the jaws, and dimness of sight. These symptoms were very slowly dissipated under the use of cold bathing and purgatives, which brought away an enormous quantity of fetid gas.[2561]

These are not the only examples of compound poisoning which have come under my attention. But others I have noticed are not detailed with sufficient exactness to make it worth while to quote them. The instances given, however, are sufficient to show that poisons of opposite qualities given about the same time in large doses will disguise one another’s effects, or impede, or perhaps even prevent them, in a manner which renders such a combination of circumstances an important subject of inquiry for the medico-legal toxicologist.

It is probable that the modifying influence is established in one of two ways,—either by one poison producing a state of venous plethora or distension, which impedes, or for a time prevents, the absorption of the other,—or by one poison producing an insensibility of the membrane with which the other is in contact; so that not only the local injury actually done has not the usual remote effect on the constitution, or on distant organs, but likewise is at times substantially less extensive than in ordinary circumstances. These reflexions arise naturally from a review of the preceding cases; but of course further facts are necessary to give them weight.

INDEX.

Absorption, its extreme rapidity, 15

— action of poisons through, 17

— effect of in removing poisons beyond the reach of analysis, 57

Acetatæ of lead, tests of, in its pure state, 398

— — — process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 423

— — — effects on the animal body. See _Lead_.

Acetates of copper, their tests, 350

— — morphia, its tests, 533

Acid, acetic, its tests in the pure and mixed state, 164

— — effects on man and animals, 165

Acid, arsenious, its chemical properties, 200

— — its taste, 200

— — its solubility in various menstrua, 201

— — its tests when in the solid state, 203

— — its tests when in solution, 206

— — its liquid tests give complete evidence conjunctly, not separately,
209

— — its tests when mixed with organic substances, 215

— — Marsh’s process for, 211, 217

— — Reinsch’s process for, 214, 216

— — process for by hydrosulphuric acid, 217

— — process for by Fresenius and Von Bab, 218

— — fallacies in the process for detecting, 219

— — its effects on the body. See _Arsenic_.

Acid, carbonic. See _Gas_.

— carbazotic, a poison, 610

— citric, not poisonous, 180

Acid, hydrochloric, tests for, in its pure and mixed state, 146

Acid, hydrocyanic, its action on the body, 582

— — rapidity of its action, 582, 590

— — acts in all its chemical combinations, 585

— — acts through every animal tissue, 584, 592

— — enters the blood and communicates its odour, 594

Acid, hydrocyanic, why its odour is not always perceptible in the
blood, 594

— — contained in many plants, renders them poisonous, 600

— — its tests when pure, 578

— — process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 580

— — symptoms it induces in man, 587

— — may cause instant death, 582, 590

— — morbid appearances caused by it, 593

— — treatment of poisoning with, 596

Acid, meconic, its tests, 532

Acid, nitric, its tests in the pure and mixed state, 142, 143

— — process for stains produced by, 143

Acid, oxalic, its action on the animal body, 173

— — its morbid appearances, 177

— — symptoms caused by it in man, 173

— — its symptoms are occasionally of themselves complete proof of
poisoning, 179

— — its tests when pure, 168

— — process for, in organic mixtures, 170

— — treatment of poisoning with, 178

Acid, phosphorous, a feeble poison, 152

— — sulpho-cyanic, not a poison, 587

Acid, sulphuric, its tests in the pure state, 123

— — process for it in the mixed state, 126

— — process for stains occasioned by, 125

— — action on animals, 128

— — morbid appearances, 135

— — the morbid appearances are at times of themselves complete proof of
poisoning, 139

Acid, sulphuric, symptoms in man classified, 129

— — the symptoms are at times alone complete proof of poisoning, 135

— — throwing of, to disfigure or disable, is a capital crime, 122

— — treatment of poisoning with, 140

Acid, sulphuric, effects of on the intestines after death, 139

Aconitina, the alkaloid of monkshood, 662

_Aconitum_, poisoning with, 662

Acrid poisons of the vegetable and animal kingdoms, 451

Action of poisons, 9

— — — by absorption, 17

— — — causes which modify the, 27

— — — local, 9

— — — remote, 11

— — — organs acted on by the remote, 22

— — — rapidity of the, 14, 582

— — — through sympathy, 12

— — — applied to the discovery of antidotes, 37

Administration of poison by prisoner, necessity of the proof of, on
trials, 72

— — — by prisoner, may be proved by pure medical evidence, 73

_Æthusa_, poisoning with, 662

Aggregation, state of, its effects on the action of poisons, 28

Alcohol, poisoning with, 725

— morbid appearances induced by, 731

— poisoning of with other poisons, 734

— symptoms of poisoning with, in its several degrees, 725

— treatment of poisoning with, 735

Alkalies and Alkaline salts, fixed, 180

— — — — their mode of action, 183

— — — — morbid appearances caused by them, 186

— — — — symptoms caused in man, several varieties of, 183

— — — — tests for, 181

— — — — treatment of poisoning with, 187

Alkaline sulphurets. See _Sulphurets_.

Almond. See _Bitter-Almond_.

Alum, effects of on man and animals, 509

Ammonia and its salts, tests of, 193

— — — — their effects on man and animals, 193

Ammoniacal gas, effects of, on man, 194

Amygdalus. See _Bitter Almond_.

Anemone, its effects as a poison, 463

Angustura bark, false, its effects on man and animals, 692

Animal acrids, general observations on their effects, 470

Animal matter poisoned by disease, 487

— — poisonous from ordinary putrefaction, 490

— — poisonous from modified putrefaction, 492

Animals, evidence of poisoning from experiments on, 62

Animals, effects of suspected articles of food on, 63

— effects of suspected matters of vomiting or contents of stomach on,
67

— experiments on, may illustrate physiological points disputed on
trials, 71

— various effects of poisons on different, 63

Antidotes, by what principles the search for them must be regulated, 37

Antimony, tests for its compounds, 367

— tartrate of. See _Tartar-emetic_.

Apoplexy, distinction between it and narcotic poisoning, drawn from
symptoms, 511

— distinction between it and narcotic poisoning, drawn from morbid
appearances, 514

— congestive appearances of, 517

— from extravasation, 517

— serous, 517

— simple, 515

Arseniate of potass, its tests, 224

Arsenic, tests for its compounds, 198

— action of, illustrated by experiments on animals, 227

— acts through all the animal tissues, 229

— acts in all its chemical forms, except in the metallic state, 230

— action of, is a little impaired by the effects of mixture—not by
habit, 233

— acts when applied to ulcers and eruptions, 251

— acts when applied to the sound skin, 257

— acts when introduced into the rectum, 253

— acts when thrust into the vagina, 254

— acts powerfully when inhaled, 254

— does it exist in the blood of those poisoned with it?, 228

Arsenic, dose required to cause death, 232

— morbid appearances caused by it, 262

— morbid appearances sometimes not caused by it at all, 262

— morbid appearances caused by it after death, 282

— does it prevent the bodies of those poisoned with it from
putrefying?, 273 273

— symptoms it causes in man classified according to three varieties,
234

— symptoms of, at times supply alone complete evidence of poisoning,
259

Arsenic, symptoms of, occasionally very trifling, even where fatal, 286

— symptoms of, how soon may they begin, and how long may they be
delayed?, 234

— symptoms of, how soon may they kill?, 239

— symptoms of, how long may they last?, 248

— treatment of poisoning with, 283

— treatment of, no antidotes known, 285

— changes it undergoes in the stomach after death, 268

— metallic, not a poison, 230

— oxide of. See _Acid, arsenious_.

— sulphurets of. See _Sulphurets_.

Arsenite of copper, its tests, 223

— — — seldom contained in mineral green, 223, 346

— of potass, its tests, 223

Arseniuretted-hydrogen, 227

— — its effects, 256

_Arum maculatum_, poisoning with, 465

_Asagræa officinalis_, 672

_Atropa_, poisoning with, 639

— symptoms induced by it in man, 640

— morbid appearances caused by it, 643

Atropia, alkaloid of belladonna, 639

Bacon, poisonous at times, 497

Baryta, poisoning with its compounds, 446

— muriate of, tests for, 446

— — — and carbonate, their effects on man and animals, 448

— morbid appearances caused by, 450

— treatment of poisoning with, 450

Bee, its poisonous sting, 487

Belladonna. See _Atropa_.

Bichloride of mercury. See _Corrosive Sublimate_.

Bicyanide of mercury, 303

Biliary ducts, rupture of, imitates irritant poisoning, 97

Bilious vomiting, imitates irritant poisoning, 100

Bismuth, poisoning with its compounds, 383

Bitartrate of potash, a poison in large doses, 507

Bitter-almond, its poisonous effects, 602

— may cause death, 603

— essential oil of, its effects as a poison, 604

— essential oil of, its composition, 601

— essential oil of, its formation, 602

Bitter-apple, poisoning with, 460

Bitter cassava, poisoning with, 457

Bitter-sweet, a feeble poison, 576

Blood, discovery of poisons in the, 21

Boiling water, effects of, when swallowed, 505

— — causes cynanche laryngea, 506

_Bombyx processionaria_, its poisonous effects, 477

Brain, inflammation of its membranes, distinguished from narcotic
poisoning, 523

— inflammation of its substance, distinguished from narcotic poisoning,
524

— hypertrophy of, distinguished from narcotic poisoning, 526

Bread, adulteration of, with the sulphate of copper, 354

— effects of spoiled, 720

Bromine, tests for, 161

— its effects on animals, 162

_Brucea antidysenterica_, not the False Angustura tree, 692

Brucia, alkaloid of false angustura bark, 692

Bryony-root, effects of, on man and animals, 459

Calomel, its tests, 292

— can it be considered an irritant poison?, 332

_Calthapalustris_, its effects as a poison, 463

Camphor, its effects on animals, 694

— morbid appearances caused by, 696

— symptoms excited by, in man, 694

Cantharides, physical characters of, 471

— action of, on animals, 471

— morbid appearances caused by, 476

— symptoms it excites in man, 472

— treatment of poisoning with, 476

Carbonate of ammonia, 193

— of baryta, tests of, 446

— of lead, tests of, 398

— of lead is formed on lead by the action of air and water,—and see
_Lead_, 399

Carbonates of potass and soda, tests of, 181

Carbonic acid. See _Gas_.

Carbonic oxide gas, effects of, on man, 624

Carburetted-hydrogen gas, its effects on man, 622

Cassada, bitter, its effects, 457

Castor-oil-seeds, effects of, on man and animals, 456

Cerasus Lauro-cerasus. See _Cherry-laurel_.

Cevadilla, a poison, 672

Cheese, occasionally poisonous without intentional adulteration, 494

Chemical analysis, evidence of general poisoning from, 54

— — may be rendered unavailing by vomiting and purging, 55

— — may be rendered useless by absorption, 57

— — may be fruitless, because the poison has been decomposed, 58

— — is often successful after long interment, 58

Chemical combination, its influence in modifying the operation of
poisons, 28

Chemical decomposition, its effects in removing poisons beyond the
reach of analysis, 58

Chemical evidence not always indispensable to the proof of poisoning,
59

Cherry-laurel water, a deadly poison, 605

— essential oil of, is the same as the oil of bitter-almond, 605

— effects of the distilled water and oil on animals and man, 605, 606

Chlorine, its effects on man and animals, 152, 616

Chloride of barium, 446

— of iron, poisoning with, 392

Chlorides of soda, potassa and lime, their action as poisons, 191

Cholera imitates irritant poisons, and how to be distinguished, 100

— its shortest duration, 101

— supposed to have been caused by emanations from a cess-pool, 621

— impairs the activity of some poisons, 35

— malignant, how distinguished from irritant poisoning, 102

Chrome, poisoning with the compounds of, 385

_Cicuta_, its effects on man and animals, 662

Cinnabar, its tests, 290

Citric acid, not a poison, 180

Classification of poisons, 90

Cluster-cherry, its distilled water and essential oil are active
poisons, 608

Cocculus indicus, its effects on man and animals, 696

_Colchicum autumnale_, effects of, on man, 674

Colchina, alkaloid of colchicum, 674

Cold water, death from drinking it, imitating irritant poisoning, 98

Colic, how it is distinguished from irritant poisoning, 109

Colica pictonum, causes of, 426, 431, 437

— — trades which are subject to suffer, 436

Colica pictonum, precautions for preventing it in workmen, 443

Colocynth, effects of, on man and animals, 460

Common salt, a poison in very large doses, 508

Compound poisoning, 740

Conduct of prisoner, illustrated by medical evidence, may prove his
guilt, 73

Conia, alkaloid of hemlock, 653

_Conium_, effects of, on man and animals, 654

Copper, poisoning with, 345

— action of its compounds, 358

— adulteration of bread with, 354

— corrosion of, by articles of food and drink, 350, 353

— corroded by saline solutions, 350

— corroded by wine and vegetable acids, 352

— corroded by fatty matters, 352

— metallic, not poisonous, 360

— morbid appearances caused by, 364

— process for detecting its salts when pure, 346

— process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 355

— sulphuret not poisonous, unless long exposed to the air, 361

— symptoms of poisoning with in man, 361

— treatment of poisoning with, 365

— contained in most vegetable substances, 355

— is it contained in the blood of animals poisoned with it?, 360

_Coriaria myrtifolia_, poisoning with, 698

Corrosion caused by poisons, examples of, 9

Corrosive sublimate, action on animals. See _Mercury_.

— — action on dead intestine, 341

— — chemical properties of, 291

— — is decomposed by organic principles, 297

— — process for, in the solid state, 292

— — process by reduction when it is dissolved, 292

— — process by liquid tests when it is dissolved, 293

— — process for it in organic mixtures, 296

— — additional tests for it in the pure state, 294

— — symptoms caused by it in man. See _Mercury_.

Cream of tartar, a poison in large doses, 507

Creasote, a poison, 739

Croton-oil and seed, effects of, 459

Cuckow-pint, poisoning with, 465

Cupping-glasses, in the treatment of external poisoning, 38

Cyanide of mercury, tests for, 303

— its effects on man, 332

Cyanogen gas, its effects on animals, 636

Cyanous acid, a feeble poison, 587

_Cytisus Laburnum_, its poisonous effects, 723

Daffodil, its effects as a poison, 467

_Daphne_, effects of its different species on man and animals, 465

Darnel-grass, its effects on man, 721

_Datura_, poisoning with, 644

Daturia, alkaloid of thorn-apple, 645

Dead-tongue, poisoning with, 658

Death-bed, evidence in cases of poisoning, its importance, and hints
for collecting it, 84

Delirium tremens, impair the activity of some poisons, 35

— — the effect of alcohol, 731

Delphinia, alkaloid of stavesacre, 464

_Delphinium_, poisoning with, 464

Digestion of poisons, tends to remove them beyond the reach of
analysis, 58

_Digitalis_, poisoning with, 678

Dippel’s oil, a poison, 737

Diseases, their influence on the operation of poisons, 35

Distension of stomach, death from, how distinguished from irritant
poisoning, 95

Dysentery impairs the activity of opium as a poison, 35

Eels sometimes poisonous, 484

Elaterium and elaterin, their poisonous properties, 461

Emeta, its poisonous properties, 682

Empyreumatic oils are active poisons, 737

Epilepsy, distinction between it and narcotic poisoning from the
symptoms, 519

— distinction of, from narcotic poisoning by morbid appearances, 521

Epsom salt, a poison in large doses, 506

Ergot. See _Spurred rye_.

_Ervum Ervilia_ is a poison, 722

Ether, effects of, on man and animals, 736

Euphorbium, its effects on man and animals, 454

Evidence of poisoning. See _Symptoms. Morbid Appearances. Chemical
Evidence. Animals._

— of general poisoning from symptoms, 43

— — — — from morbid appearances, 51

— — — — from chemical analysis, 54

Evidence of general poisoning from experiments on animals, 62

— — — — from moral circumstances, 71

Evidence, medical, of the administration in charges of poisoning, 72

— — may prove the prisoner’s intent, 78

— — on death-bed, 83

Fainting, mortal, distinction between it and narcotic poisoning, 527

Feigned poisoning, 86

Ferro-cyanate of potass not poisonous, 586

Fever impairs the activity of some poisons, 35

Fish-poison, 477

Fly-powder, tests for, 199

Fool’s parsley, effects on man and animals, 661

Foxglove, its effects on man and animals, 678

Fowler’s solution, tests of, 223

Fungi, list of the wholesome, 700

— list of the deleterious, 701

— circumstances which modify their qualities, 702

— rules for knowing poisonous, 703

— active principles of, 704

— symptoms of poisoning with, 704

— morbid appearances caused by, 708

— treatment of poisoning with, 709

— poisoning of wholesome kinds with other poisons, 709

Gamboge, poisoning with, 466

Gas, carbonic acid, morbid appearances caused by, 632

— — — is poisonous positively, not negatively, 614, 624

— — — symptoms caused by, when pure, 625

— — — symptoms it causes when diluted with air, 625

— — — symptoms, when from burning charcoal, 626

— — — symptoms, when from burning coal, 631

— — — symptoms, when from burning tallow, 630

— — — symptoms when formed by respiration, 632

— — — treatment of poisoning with, 634

Gas, carbonic oxide, its effects on man, 634

— carbureted-hydrogen, effects on man, 622

— coal and oil, effects on man, 622

— chlorine, its effects on man, 616

— cyanogen, its effects on animals and plants, 636

— hydrosulphuric acid, effects when injected into the veins, 613

— — — effects when breathed by man, 618

— — — effects on vegetables, 618

Gas, hydrosulphuric acid, morbid appearances caused by, 619

— — — proves fatal though applied to the skin only, 614, 617

— muriatic acid, very poisonous to plants, 617

— nitric oxide and nitrous acid, effects when injected into the veins,
614

— nitrous acid, effects on man, 615

— nitrous oxide, its effects on man and plants, 635

— oxygen, a positive poison, 636

— sulphurous acid, extremely poisonous to plants, 631

Gases, poisonous, medico-legal importance of, 611

— which of them are negatively, and which positively poisonous, 612

Gastritis. See _Stomach_.

General poisoning, evidence of, 39
and see _Evidence_.

Glass-powder, is it a poison?, 503

Gold, poisoning with its compounds, 383

Goulard’s extract, tests for, 399

Grain, sometimes poisonous, 710

— unripe, its supposed effects on man, 719

Green vitriol. See _Sulphate of Iron_.

Gullet, perforation of, how distinguished from irritant poisoning, 108,
119

Habit, its effect in modifying the action of poisons, 34

Hæmatemesis, how distinguished from irritant poisoning, 109

Heart, organic diseases of, may imitate narcotic poisoning, 528

Hellebore, effects of its different species on man and animals, 672

Hellebore, white. See _Veratrum_.

Hemlock, its effects on man and animals, 653

— dropwort, its effects as a poison, 660

Henbane. See _Hyoscyamus_.

_Hippomane Mancinella_, its poisonous effects, 458

Hot liquids cause symptoms of irritant poisoning, 505

Hydrochlorate of ammonia. See _Ammonia_.
Also, 193

Hydrochlorates. See _Muriates_.

Hydrochloric acid. See _Acids_.

Hydrocyanic acid. See _Acid_.

Hyoscyamus, its effects on man and animals, 573

Hydrophobia impairs the activity of some poisons, 35

Hypertrophy of brain. See _Brain_.

Hysteria lessens the effect of opium, 35

Idiosyncrasy, its influence in modifying the action of poisons, 32

— sometimes renders wholesome articles deleterious to individuals, 33,
68

Iliac passion imitates irritant poisoning, 109

Imaginary poisoning, 85

Imputed poisoning, 88

Inflammation of brain. See _Brain_.

— of intestine. See _Intestines_.

— of stomach. See _Stomach_.

Insects, poisonous, 486

Intent in the administration of poison may be sometimes proved by
medical evidence, 78

Interment for years may not prevent the detection of poisons, 58

Intestines, inflammation of, how distinguished from irritant poisoning,
99

— obstruction of, may imitate irritant poisoning, 109

— perforation of, how distinguished from irritant poisoning, 108, 119

Iodide of potassium, effects, 157

— — — tests of, 158

Iodine, its effects on man and animals, 154

— its tests in the pure and mixed state, 152

Ipecacuan, poisoning with, 682

Ipomæa Purga, a poison, 467

Iron, poisoning with the salts of, 391

Irritant poisons, general observations on, 92

— — distribution of into orders, 121

— — morbid appearances of, contrasted with those of various natural
diseases, 110

— — symptoms of, contrasted with those of various natural diseases, 93

Irritation, examples of, caused by poisons, 9

Jalap, its effects as a poison, 467

_Jatropha_, its effects on man and animals, 457

_Juniperus Sabina_, its poisonous effects, 468

King’s yellow, its tests and composition, 225

Laburnum seeds poisonous, 723

_Lacluca_, poisoning with, 575

_Lathyrus Cicera_ is a poison, 722

Lead, tests for its compounds, 396

— action of air and water on, 399

— adulteration of wines with, 420

— adulteration of spirits with, 422

— adulteration of a mechanical nature, 422

— corrosion of, by distilled water, 401

— corrosion of, by water prevented by salts in solution, 403

— corrosion of, prevented by excessively minute proportions of some
salts, 403

— corrosion of, by natural waters, 406

— corrosion of, by rain and snow-water, 406

Lead, corrosion of, by spring waters, how prevented, 414

— corrosion of, not caused by some spring waters, 408

— dissolved by many acidulous fluids, 415

— dissolved by these fluids much more rapidly if it is oxidated, 419

— metallic, is not poisonous, 427

— mode of action on the animal body, 424

— does it exist in the blood or organs of animals poisoned with it?,
426

— morbid appearances caused by, 439

— process for detecting its compounds, 396

— process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 422

— sulphuret of, not poisonous, 427

— symptoms caused by, in man, classified according to two varieties,
429

— symptoms caused by, as an irritant, 429

— symptoms of, constituting the disease colica pictonum, 431

— tradesmen who are subject to suffer from poisoning with, 436

Lead, treatment of poisoning with, 441

Lead glazing is rapidly acted on by acidulous fluids in some
circumstances, not in others, 419

Lettuce-opium, effect of, on animals, 575

Lime, poisoning with, 192

Liver of sulphur. See _Sulphurets_.

Litharge, tests for, 396

Lividity is no evidence of poisoning, 51

Local action of poisons, 9

_Lolium temulentum_, its effects on man, 721

Maize, spurred, 718

Manchineel, its effects on man and animals, 458

Mania impairs the activity of some poisons, 35

Marsh marigold, its effects on man and animals, 464

Meadow-saffron, its effects on man, 674

Mechanical irritants produce the same effects as irritant poisons, 501

Meconic acid, its tests, 53

— — is not poisonous, 562

_Meloe proscarabæus_, its poisonous effects, 477

Melanosis of stomach imitates the effects of irritant poisons, 112

Melæna, how distinguished from irritant poisoning, 109

Meningitis, how distinguished from narcotic poisoning, 523

_Menispermum Cocculus_, poisoning with, 696

Mercurial salivation in cases of poisoning, when does it begin?, 314

Mercurial salivation, phenomena of, 316

— — can it be confounded with any other disorder?, 319

— — may it return after a long intermission?, 322

— — its duration, 322

— — in what modes it may prove fatal, 324

Mercurial tremor, 324

Mercury, action of its soluble compounds on the animal body, 303

— acts through all animal tissues, 327

— acts in all soluble chemical compounds, 329

— acts not, when in the metallic state, 330

— acts not, in the form of sulphuret, 331

— acts not, when its soluble compounds are decomposed by organic
principles, 336

— existence in the blood of those who have taken it is extremely
probable, 306

— morbid appearances caused by, 337

Mercury, processes for its compounds when pure, 289

— process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 299

— symptoms of poisoning with, classified according to three varieties,
310

— symptoms of corrosive poisoning with, their longest duration, 312

— symptoms of, their shortest duration in fatal cases, 313

— symptoms of, sometimes furnish of themselves decisive evidence of
poisoning, 337

— treatment of poisoning with an antidote, 342

Metals, not poisonous unless oxidated, 230, 329, 360, 427

Mezereon, its effects on man and animals, 465

Milk at times poisonous without intentional adulteration, 496

Mineral-green, tests of, 347

— See _Arsenite of Copper_.

Mixture, its effect in modifying the action of poisons, 29

_Momordica Elaterium_, its poisonous properties, 461

Monkshood, its effects on man and animals, 662

Moral evidence of poisoning, 71

Morbid appearances, evidence of general poisoning from, 51

— — sometimes supply alone full proof of poisoning, 139

Morphia, its tests, 532

— its effects on man and animals, 557

Mosses, poisonous, 710

Mountain-ash is poisonous, as containing hydrocyanic acid, 609

Muriate of baryta. See _Baryta_.

Muriate of morphia, its tests, 533

Muriate of mercury. See _Calomel_—_Corrosive Sublimate_.

Muriate of soda, a poison in large quantity, 508

Muriatic acid, 146

Muriatic acid gas, 617

Muscles are occasionally poisonous, 479

— causes why they become poisonous, 481

— copper cannot account for their effects, 481

— decay, does it render them poisonous?, 481

— disease, will this explain their effects?, 482

— idiosyncrasy sometimes makes them poisonous, 482

— insects of a poisonous nature entering their shell, will this explain
their effects?, 483

Muscles, principle of a poisonous nature not yet discovered in them,
482

— symptoms and morbid appearances caused by the poisonous, 479

Mushrooms. See _Fungi_.

_Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus_, a poison, 467

Narcotico-acrid poisons, general remarks on, 637

Narcotic poisoning, its symptoms and morbid appearances, contrasted
with those of natural disease, 510

Narcotics, their active principles, 529

Narcotine, its tests, 534

— its effects on animals, 560

Nervous local impressions, examples of, caused by poisons, 10

_Nicotiana Tabacum._ See _Tobacco_.

Nicotianin, poisonous principle of tobacco, 647

Nightshade. See _Solanum_—_Atropa_.

Nitrates of mercury, their tests, 303

Nitre, its tests, 187

— its action and symptoms in man, 188

— morbid appearances caused by, 191

Nitric acid. See _Acids, Mineral_.

Nitric oxide gas, its effects on animals, 614

Nitrous acid vapour, its effects on man, 615

Nitrous oxide gas, its effects on man, 635

Nux-vomica, action of, on animals, 688

— morbid appearances caused by, 689

— symptoms it excites in man, 686

Nux-vomica, symptoms of, sometimes alone are complete evidence of
poisoning, 690

— its tests, 686

— treatment, 690

_Œnanthe_, poisoning with, 653

Oil of Dippel, 737

Oil of tar, 738

Oil of turpentine, 738

Oils, empyreumatic, are poisonous, 737

Opium, frequently used for the purpose of poisoning, 530

— action of, illustrated by experiments, 539

— acts as a poison through every animal tissue, even the skin, 556

— chemical history of, 530

— chemical analysis cannot detect it in the blood, 541

— morbid appearances caused by, 562

— process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 534

— may cause death and not be discoverable in the stomach why?, 537

Opium, symptoms of, in man, 539

— symptoms of, how soon may they begin, and how long may they be
delayed?, 543

Opium, ordinary, shortest, and longest duration of fatal poisoning
with, 547

— smallest fatal dose of, in adults, 549

— fatal dose in infants extremely small, 549

— principles contained in, 531

— tests for the principles of, when pure, 532

— treatment of poisoning with, 566

Opium-eaters, are they short lived?, 551

Orpiment, 224, 230

Osmium, 395

Oxygen, a poison, 636

Oysters, sometimes poisonous, 483

Peach flowers may cause fatal poisoning, 608

Pepper, a poison in very large doses, 506

Perforation. See _Stomach_—_Intestines_—_Gullet_.

Peritonæum, inflammation of, how distinguished from irritant poisoning,
105

Phosphorus, its effects on man and animals, 149

Phosphorous acid, a feeble poison, 152

Picrotoxin, active principle of Cocculus Indicus, 696

Pretended poisoning, 85

Protochloride of Mercury, See _Calomel_.

_Prunus Lauro-cerasus._ See _Cherry-Laurel_.

_Prunus Padus._ See _Cluster-Cherry_.

Prussiate. See _Ferro-cyanate_.

Prussic acid. See _Hydrocyanic_.

Putrefaction of the body, not a proof of poisoning when premature, 51

— does not always prevent the detection of poisons, 59

— does arsenic preserve the body from?, 273

Putrefied animal matter, its effects as a poison on man and animals,
492

Quantity or dose, its influence in modifying the action of poisons, 27

_Ramollissement._ See _Brain_.

Ranunculaceæ, their effects on man and animals, 462, 662

Ranunculus, its poisonous effects, 462

Realgar, its tests, 224

Remote action of poisons, through what channel is it carried on?, 12

Red-lead, tests for, 397

Red precipitate, tests for, 290

Redness of Stomach. See _Stomach_.

Ricinus. See _Castor oil_.

Rue, poisoning with, 681

Rupture of stomach, death from, how distinguished from irritant
poisoning, 97

Rupture of duodenum, death from, how distinguished from irritant
poitant poisoning, 97

Rupture of biliary ducts, 97

— of uterus, 98

Rust of wheat is not poisonous, 719

Rye. See _Spurred rye_.

Sal-ammoniac, its tests, 193

— its action on animals, 196

Salivation may be caused by various poisons, 319

— may be caused by ulcerated sore throat, 319

— sometimes an idiopathic disease, 319

— sometimes arises from the influence of the imagination, 321

Salivation, mercurial. See _Mercurial_.

Salmon, pickled or kippered, sometimes injurious, 499

Salt, common, a poison in very large quantity, 508

Savin, its effects on man and animals, 468

Sausages, occasionally poisonous, 492

_Scilla maritima_, effects on man and animals, 671

_Secale cornutum._ See _Spur_.

Secret poisoning, 39, 249

Serpents, venomous, 484

Silver, poisoning with its compounds, 380

Simultaneous illness of several persons, important proof of general
poisoning, 80

Skin, poisons act slowly or not at all through the sound, 30

Skin, poisons act through it sometimes when long applied or rubbed in,
or in the gaseous state, 257, 328, 435, 556, 614, 618, 625

Snakes, venomous, 484

_Solanum_, effects of its species on man and animals, 576

_Sorbus aucuparia._ See _Mountain-ash_.

Spinal cord, diseases of, distinguished from narcotic poisoning, 527

Spirituous liquors. See _Alcohol_.

Sprats smoked, sometimes poisonous, 499

Spur, what kinds of grain are attacked by, 711

Spurred maize, 718

Spurred rye, its causes, 711

— chemical analysis of, 713

— effects on man and animals, 714

— miscarriage supposed to be induced by, 717

Squill, poisoning with, 670

Stavesacre, its effects on man and animals, 464

St. Ignatius’ bean, effects of, on man and animals, 691

Stomach, distension of, death from, contrasted with irritant poisoning,
95

— fibrinous and mucous effusion in, imitates the effects of irritant
poisoning, 113

— gelatinization of, a cause of perforation, 107

— inflammation of, how distinguished from irritant poisoning, 102

— inflammation of, is it in its acute state ever a natural disease?,
102

— partial laceration of, contrasted with irritant poisoning, 97

— redness of, from natural causes, imitates the effects of irritant
poisons, 110

— rupture of, contrasted with the effects of irritant poisons, 96

— spontaneous perforation of, distinguished from irritant poisoning,
105

— spontaneous perforation of, its symptoms and varieties, 105

— spontaneous perforation of, its morbid appearances, nature and
causes, 113

— ulceration of, how distinguished from the effects of irritant
poisons, 113

Stomach-pump, discovery of, 567

Stramonium, its effects on man and animals, 645

Strontia, its salts not poisonous, 451

Strychnia, alkaloid of the _Strychni_, effects of, on animals, 683

_Strychnos_, which of its species are poisonous, 683

Sugar of Lead. See _Acetate_.

Sulphate of copper, tests for, 348

— — — adulteration of bread with, 354

— — iron occasionally poisonous, 392

— — magnesia, poisonous in very large doses, 506

— — mercury, its tests, 290

— — potash, poisonous in large doses, 507

— — zinc, tests of when pure, 386

— — — effects on animals, 387

— — — effects on man, 388

— — — morbid appearances by, 391

— — — process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 386

Sulpho-cyanic acid a feeble poison, 586

Sulphur, its effects on man and animals, 152

Sulphurets of the alkalis, effects on man, morbid appearances, and
treatment of poisoning with, 196

Sulphurets of antimony, tests of, 367

— — arsenic, tests of, 224

— — arsenic, its effects as a poison, 230

Sulphuret of copper, not poisonous unless long exposed to the air, 360

— — lead not poisonous, 428

— — mercury its tests, 290

— — mercury, not poisonous, 331

Sulphuretted hydrogen. See _Gas_.

Sulphuric acid. See _Acids, Mineral_.

Sympathetic effects of poisons, 12

Symptoms of poisoning, evidence from, 42

— — — general character of, contrasted with those of the symptoms of
natural disease, 42, 46

— — — suddenness of the invasion of, 43, 46

— — — commence after a meal, 45, 47

— — — commence during health, 49

— — — regularity of their increase, 44, 47

— — — uniformity of their nature, 45, 47

— — — may sometimes of themselves be complete evidence of poisoning,
179, 259, 337, 691

Syncopal asphyxia, how distinguished from narcotic poisoning, 527

Tartar-emetic, action of, on animals, 371

— action on the skin, 375

— morbid appearances caused by, 376

— process for detecting it in a pure solution, 368

— process for detecting it in organic mixtures, 369

— symptoms excited in man by, 372

— sometimes not poisonous in large doses, 373

Tartar-emetic, treatment of poisoning with, 377

Tartaric acid, not a poison, 180

Tetanus lessens the activity of some poisons, 35

Thorn-apple effects on man and animals, 645

Ticunas, an American poison, 693

Tin, poisoning with its compounds, 378

Tissues, influence of different, in modifying the action of poisons, 30

Tobacco, effects on man and animals, 649

— effects of, by the way of injection, 650

— not injurious to workmen who manufacture it, 652

Toffana, alleged effects of the _Aqua Toffana_, 249

_Trachinus_ has poisonous spines, 478

_Tremblement metallique_, its nature and causes, 325

Treatment of poisoning, general inferences as to, drawn from the
physiological action of poisons, 36

Turbith-mineral, its tests, 290

Unripe grain, its supposed deleterious effects, 719

Upas antiar, 698

— tieuté, 691

Uterus, rupture of, imitates irritant poisoning, 97

Vegetable acrids, general remarks on their effects, 451

Venomous insects, 486

Venomous serpents, 484

Veratria, alkaloid of _veratrum_, 673

_Veratrum_, poisoning with the different species of, 672

Verdigris, artificial, tests of, 349

Verdigris, natural, tests of, 348

Verditer, tests of, 347

Vermilion, tests of, 290

Vitriol, blue. See _Sulphate of Copper_.

Vomiting, effects of, in removing poisons beyond the reach of analysis,
55

Wasp, its poisonous effects, 480

Water-hemlock, effects of, on man and animals, 658

Weever, poisonous spines of, 478

Wheat, rust of, is hardly poisonous,

White-lead, tests for, 397

White vitriol. See _Sulphate of Zinc_.

White precipitate, 332

Worms perforating the intestines may imitate irritant poisoning, 108

— producing epilepsy may imitate narcotic poisoning, 521

Woorara, an American poison, 693

Yew, poisoning with, 699

Zinc, poisoning with its compounds, 386

— sulphate of. See _Sulphate_.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE.

1. Small funnel-shaped tube for testing minute portions of liquids.

2. Apparatus for the distillation of fluids suspected to contain
acids, one-seventh the natural size.

3. Tube for reducing very small portions of arsenic or mercury. The
figure is of half the natural size. The ball may be blown larger, if
the material to be reduced is bulky.

4. A small glass funnel for introducing the material into the tube
Fig. 1, without soiling its inside.

5. The ordinary apparatus for disengaging sulphuretted-hydrogen. The
funnel must be a little longer than the emerging tube. The fluid
should not be at any time much higher than in the figure, in order
to secure the operator against its effervescing up into the emerging
tube. The figure is a fourth of the natural size.

6. Instrument for washing down scanty precipitates on filters. It is a
thin bottle capable of standing heat—half-filled with water, which
may be boiled on occasion,—and having its cork pierced with a small
tube drawn at its outer end to a very fine bore. The breath is
impelled into the bottle, and, the bottle being then reversed, a
very fine stream issues with great force.

7. Tubes of natural size for collecting small portions of mercury by
the process, p. 300.

8. Pipette, one-fourth the natural size, for removing by suction
fluids lying over precipitates. Some have a rectangular bend in the
upper part, by means of which the operator sees better the point of
the instrument when in action; but such pipettes are difficult to
clean. That represented in the figure is easily cleaned with a
feather.

9. Apparatus for reducing the sulphurets of some metals by a stream of
hydrogen. A, the vessel with zinc and diluted sulphuric acid, the
latter of which may be renewed by the funnel B. C, a ball on the
emerging tube to prevent the liquid thrown up by the effervescence
from passing forward. D, E, corks by which C and G are fitted into
F, the tube which contains the sulphuret at F. G, the exit-tube for
the sulphuretted-hydrogen, plying into a vessel containing acetate
of lead. When the hydrogen has passed long enough to expel all the
air, the spirit-lamp flame is applied at F; and when
sulphuretted-hydrogen is formed, the lead solution is blackened. The
figure is one-third the size of the apparatus.

For Description of Figures 10 and 11, see p. 212.

-----

Footnote 1:

Orfila and Ollivier, Archives Générales de Médecine, x. 360.

Footnote 2:

Philosophical Transactions, 1811, 186.

Footnote 3:

Experiments on Opium, 1795, reprinted in his Treatise on Fevers, iv.
697.

Footnote 4:

Essay on the Operation of poisonous agents on the living body, 1829,
p. 63.

Footnote 5:

Edin. Phys. and Lit. Essays, iii. 311.

Footnote 6:

Researches sur l’Acide Hydrocyanique, 1819, p. 179.

Footnote 7:

Experimental Inquiry on poisoning with oxalic acid. By Dr. Coindet and
myself.—Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, xix. _passim_.

Footnote 8:

Philosophical Transactions, 1811, p. 184.

Footnote 9:

Annales de Chimie et de Physique, vi. 349.

Footnote 10:

Report of the Trial of Freeman for the murder of Judith Buswell,
London Medical Gazette, viii. 796–8.

Footnote 11:

See subsequently the chapter on Hydrocyanic acid.

Footnote 12:

Taylor’s Medical Jurisprudence, p. 18.

Footnote 13:

Annales de Chim. et de Phys. xxvi. 54.

Footnote 14:

Philosophical Transactions, 1811, p. 182.

Footnote 15:

Trans. Royal Soc. of Edinburgh, xiii. 393.

Footnote 16:

Zeitschrift für die Physiologie, iii. i. 81.

Footnote 17:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, liii. 35, and lvi. 412.

Footnote 18:

Archiv. für Anatomie und Physiologie, iv. 192.

Footnote 19:

Ed. Med. and Surg. Journ. liii. 46.

Footnote 20:

Ed. Med. and Surg. Journ. xix. 335.

Footnote 21:

Bull. de l’Acad. Roy. de Méd. iii. 426, _et passim_.

Footnote 22:

Edin. Phys. and Lit. Essays, iii. 334.

Footnote 23:

Philosophical Transactions, 1811, 198; and Archiv. für Anatomie und
Physiologie, iv. 192.

Footnote 24:

Sur le Mechanisme de l’Absorption, 1809; republished, in Journ. de
Physiol. i. 26.

Footnote 25:

Recherches sur l’Acide Hydrocyanique, 180.

Footnote 26:

Revue Médicale, 1827, i. 515.

Footnote 27:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, xix. 173.

Footnote 28:

Diss. Inaug. de Venenatis acidi Borussici effectibus. Tubingæ, 1805.

Footnote 29:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, liii. 45.

Footnote 30:

Journal des Progrès des Sciences Méd. 1827, iii. 121.

Footnote 31:

Essay on the Operation of Poisonous Agents on the Living Body.

Footnote 32:

Essay, &c. pp. 75, 76.

Footnote 33:

Essay, &c. pp. 69, 71.

Footnote 34:

Ibidem, pp. 81, 87.

Footnote 35:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, liii. 35.

Footnote 36:

Ed. Med. and Surg. Journal, lvi. 412.

Footnote 37:

Philosophical Transactions, 1841, p. 186. When death begins with any
other organ but the heart, the heart remains irritable for some time
after, and contains black blood in all its cavities.

Footnote 38:

Ib. p. 196.

Footnote 39:

Diss. Inaug. de Venenis Mineralibus. Edinburgi, 1813.

Footnote 40:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, xix. _passim_.

Footnote 41:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, li. 330; liv. 339; lvi. 104. The
Hæmadynamometer is an instrument invented by M. Poiseulle, which, when
communicating with the interior of a blood-vessel, indicates the force
of the circulation by the pressure of the blood on a column of
mercury.

Footnote 42:

Mémoire sur l’Emétique—Bulletins de la Société Philomatique, 1812–13,
p. 361.

Footnote 43:

Orfila, Toxicologie Générale, i. 258.

Footnote 44:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, lvi. 104, and other papers there quoted
above.

Footnote 45:

Ibid. liv. 121.

Footnote 46:

Ibid. li. 344.

Footnote 47:

Emmert, Archiv. für Anatomie und Physiologie, i. l. 180. See also the
Article False Angustura.

Footnote 48:

Transactions of the Roy. Soc. of Edinburgh, xiii.

Footnote 49:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, li. 330, liv. 339, lvi. 104.

Footnote 50:

Archives Gén. de Med. Nov. 1839, and Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal,
lvi. 106.

Footnote 51:

Ibidem, lvi. 123 and 422.

Footnote 52:

Ibid. xix. 326, 327.

Footnote 53:

Die Wirkung der Arzneimittel und Gifte, i. 278.

Footnote 54:

London Med. Gazette, xiv. 63.

Footnote 55:

Recherches sur l’Acide Hydrocyanique, 140.

Footnote 56:

Edin. Med. and Surg. Journal, xix. 330.

Footnote 57:

Journal de Physiologie, iv. 285.

Footnote 58:

Giornale di Fisica, ix. 458.

Footnote 59:

These views regarding the decomposition of poisons, were suggested to
me in 1823 by my friend Dr. Coindet, Junior, of Geneva.

Footnote 60:

It is not any part of the object of this work to enter into the
history of toxicology, more especially in early times. But it may be
well here to state, that the claim which has been made by some for Dr.
Barry, of having discovered this mode of treatment, is groundless. It
is distinctly laid down by Nicander, Celsus, Dioscarides, Galen, and
others who lived in their times; and among the moderns who have
mentioned it, Gräter, in 1767, notices it in his thesis, “de venenis
in genere,” printed at Frankfort. On the ancient history of toxicology
the reader will find an excellent summary by Mr. Adams in the
Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, xxxiii. 315, and a full
exposition in Professor Marx’s elaborate work, “die Lehre von den
Giften.”

Footnote 61:

Archives Générales de Médecine, Nov. 1826.

Footnote 62:

Journal des Progrès des Sciences Médicales, 1827, iii. 121.

Footnote 63:

See the Chapter on Arsenic for some remarks on this subject.—Also
Beckman’s History of Inventions.

Footnote 64:

See subsequently the cases of the Crown Prince of Sweden, in the first
section of the present chapter, and that of General Hoche, Part II.
Chap. ii. Sect. 2.

Footnote 65:

I allude to the case of Castaing. See Opium.

Footnote 66:

Feuerbach. Actenmässige Darstellung Merkwürdiger Verbrechen, i. 1. For
some observations on the three fatal cases, see the Chapter on
Arsenic, under the head of the effects of that poison as an
antiseptic.

Footnote 67:

See an opinion of the Berlin College in Pyl’s Repertorium für die
gerichtliche Arzneikunde, i. 244.

Footnote 68:

Orfila. Médecine-Légale, ii. 360.
Henke. Lehrbuch der gerichtlichen Medizin, 448.
Tortosa. Istituzioni di Medicina Forense, ii. 86.
Beck’s Medical Jurisprudence, 419.

Footnote 69:

Hume on Crimes, i. 178.

Footnote 70:

Howell’s State Trials, xviii. 1135.

Footnote 71:

Hünefeld in Horn’s Archiv, 1827, i. 203.

Footnote 72:

Weiss in Revue Médicale, Janv. 1826.

Footnote 73:

See subsequently the Chapter on Arsenic, Section ii.

Footnote 74:

Archives Générales de Médecine, i. 17; also Abercrombie on Diseases of
the Stomach, &c. 273.

Footnote 75:

See Oxalic Acid and Nux Vomica.

Footnote 76:

Rossi. Ueber die Art und Ursache des Todes des hochseligen Kronprinzen
von Schweden. Berlin, 1812.

Footnote 77:

Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, ii. 309.

Footnote 78:

Alberti, Systema Jurispr. Medic, i. c. 13. § 4.

Footnote 79:

See Arsenic—Morbid appearances.

Footnote 80:

Magazin für die gesammte Heilkunde, xiv. 104.

Footnote 81:

Journal de Médecine, xxix. 107.

Footnote 82:

Aufsätze und Beobachtungen aus der gerichtlichen Arzneiwissenschaft,
v. 103.

Footnote 83:

Wildberg. Praktisches Handbuch für Physiker, iii. 227.

Footnote 84:

Aufsätze und Beobachtungen, &c. ii. 122.

Footnote 85:

Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, xviii. 171.

Footnote 86:

London Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, ii. 158.

Footnote 87:

Archiv für Medizinische Erfahrung, 1834, p. 754.

Footnote 88:

Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, ii. 303.

Footnote 89:

New York Medical and Philosophical Journal, iii. No. 1.

Footnote 90:

De Veneficio caute dijudicando in Schlegel’s Collectio opusculorum,
&c. iv. 22.

Footnote 91:

Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, ii. 291, Edinburgh Medical
and Surgical Journal, xxvii. 457, and xxix. 26.

Footnote 92:

Archives Générales de Médecine, ii. 58.

Footnote 93:

Materialien für die Staatsarzneikunde, 130.

Footnote 94:

Ueber die gerichtlich-medizinische Beurtheilung der Vergiftungen.
Kopp’s Jahrbuch, vii. 159.

Footnote 95:

Rust’s Magazin für die gesammte Heilkunde, iii. 24.

Footnote 96:

Aufsätze und Beobachtungen, viii. 92.

Footnote 97: