Chapter LXXX: Section IV: Of the Treatment

The treatment of this variety of poisoning consists chiefly in the speedy administration of some alkaline or earthy sulphate, such as the sulphate of soda or sulphate of magnesia. The poison is thus immediately converted into the insoluble sulphate of baryta, which is quite inert. Two drachms of muriate of baryta were injected by Orfila into the stomach of a dog, and eight minutes afterwards two drachms of sulphate of soda. The gullet was then secured by a ligature. At first efforts were made to vomit, and in an hour sulphate of baryta was discharged with the alvine evacuations. There was neither insensibility nor convulsions; and the next morning the animal evidently suffered only from the ligature on the gullet. This fact not only proves the efficacy of the sulphate, but likewise shows that in the kinds of poisoning where diarrhœa occurs, the poison is very soon discharged, and ought therefore to be looked for in the evacuations from the bowels.[1398]

A few observations may be here added on the effects of the salts of _strontia_ on the animal frame. These compounds bear a close resemblance to the salts of baryta, and the two earths were consequently long confounded together till Dr. Hope pointed out their distinctions. One of the most striking differences is, that the salts of the strontia are very feebly poisonous. Some experiments of this purport were made by M. Pelletier of Paris,[1399] and by Blumenbach; but the most accurate researches are those of Professor Gmelin. He found that ten grains of the chloride in solution had no effect when injected into the jugular vein of a dog,—that two drachms had no effect when introduced into the stomach of a rabbit,—that half an ounce was required to cause death in that way,—that two drachms of the carbonate had no effect,—and that two drachms of the nitrate, dissolved in six parts of water and given to a rabbit, merely caused increase of the frequency and hardness of the pulse and a brisk diarrhœa.[1400] Mr. Blake also found that small doses of the salts of strontia have little effect when injected into the veins; but that forty grains arrest the action of the heart in fifteen seconds.[1401]