The Project Gutenberg EBook of Poisons: Their Effects and Detection, by Alexander Wynter Blyth This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Poisons: Their Effects and Detection A Manual for the Use of Analytical Chemists and Experts Author: Alexander Wynter Blyth Release Date: May 13, 2013 [EBook #42709] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POISONS: EFFECTS AND DETECTION *** Produced by Chris Curnow, Harry Lamé and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Please see Transcriber’s Notes at the end of this document. Title page POISONS: THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. BY THE SAME AUTHOR. Fourth Edition. At Press. FOODS: THEIR COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS. With numerous Tables and Illustrations. General Contents. History of Adulteration—Legislation, Past and Present—Apparatus useful to the Food Analyst—“Ash”— Sugar—Confectionery—Honey—Treacle—Jams and Preserved Fruits—Starches—Wheaten-Flour— Bread—Oats—Barley—Rye—Rice—Maize—Millet—Potato—Peas—Chinese Peas—Lentils—Beans —Milk—Cream—Butter—Cheese—Tea—Coffee—Cocoa and Chocolate—Alcohol—Brandy—Rum —Whisky—Gin—Arrack—Liqueurs—Beer—Wine—Vinegar—Lemon and Lime Juice—Mustard— Pepper—Sweet and Bitter Almond—Annatto—Olive Oil—Water. Appendix: Text of English and American Adulteration Acts. “Will be used by every Analyst.”—Lancet. “Stands Unrivalled for completeness of information. . . . A really ‘practical’ work for the guidance of practical men.”—Sanitary Record. “An ADMIRABLE DIGEST of the most recent state of knowledge. . . . Interesting even to lay-readers.”—Chemical News. In Large 8vo, Handsome Cloth. 21s. FORENSIC MEDICINE AND TOXICOLOGY. By J. DIXON MANN, M.D., F.R.C.P., Professor of Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology in Owens College, Manchester; Examiner in Forensic Medicine in the University of London, and in the Victoria University; Physician to the Salford Royal Hospital. Part I.—Forensic Medicine. Part II.—Insanity in its Medico-legal Bearings. Part III.—Toxicology. “By far the MOST RELIABLE, MOST SCIENTIFIC, and MOST MODERN book on Medical Jurisprudence with which we are acquainted.”—Dublin Medical Journal. “A most useful work of reference. . . . Of value to all those who, as medical men or lawyers, are engaged in cases where the testimony of medical experts forms a part of the evidence.”—The Law Journal. London: Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd., Exeter St., Strand. POISONS: THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. A MANUAL FOR THE USE OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTS AND EXPERTS. WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ON THE GROWTH OF MODERN TOXICOLOGY. BY ALEXANDER WYNTER BLYTH, M.R.C.S., F.I.C., F.C.S., &c., BARRISTER-AT-LAW; PUBLIC ANALYST FOR THE COUNTY OF DEVON; AND MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AND PUBLIC ANALYST FOR ST. MARYLEBONE. THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. With Tables and Illustrations. LONDON: CHARLES GRIFFIN AND COMPANY, LIMITED, EXETER STREET, STRAND. 1895. (All Rights Reserved.) D. VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY, NEW YORK. PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. The present edition, which appears on the same general plan as before, will yet be found to have been in great part re- written, enlarged, and corrected. Analytical methods which experience has shown to be faulty have been omitted, and replaced by newer and more accurate processes. The intimate connection which recent research has shown to exist between the arrangement of the constituent parts of an organic molecule and physiological action, has been considered at some length in a separate chapter. The cadaveric alkaloids or ptomaines, bodies playing so great a part in food-poisoning and in the manifestations of disease, are in this edition treated of as fully as the limits of the book will allow. The author, therefore, trusts that these various improvements, modifications, and corrections will enable “Poisons” to maintain the position which it has for so many years held in the esteem of toxicologists and of the medical profession generally. The Court House, St. Marylebone, W. June, 1895. [v] CONTENTS. PART I.—INTRODUCTORY. I. THE OLD POISON-LORE. Section Page 1. The History of the Poison-lehre—The Origin of Arrow-Poison—Greek Myths, 1 2. Knowledge of the Egyptians relative to Poisons—Distillation of Peach-Water, 2 3. Roman and Greek Knowledge of Poison—Sanction of Suicide among the Ancients—The Classification of Poisons adopted by Dioscorides, 2-4 4. Poisoning among Eastern Nations—Slow Poisons, 4, 5 5. Hebrew Knowledge of Poisons, 5 6. The part which Poison has played in History—Statira—Locusta—Britannicus—The Rise of Anatomy—The Death of Alexander the Great—of Pope Alexander VI.—The Commission of Murder given by Charles le Mauvais—Royal Poisoners—Charles IX.—King John—A Female Poisoner boiled alive, 5-9 7. The Seventeenth Century Italian Schools of Criminal Poisoning—The Council of Ten—John of Ragubo—The Professional Poisoner—J. B. Porta’s Treatise on Natural Magic—Toffana and the “Acquetta di Napoli”—Organic Arsenical Compounds—St. Croix and Madame de Brinvilliers—Extraordinary Precautions for the Preservation from Poison of the Infant Son of Henry VIII., 9-13 II. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN METHODS OF CHEMICALLY DETECTING POISONS. 8. Phases through which the Art of Detecting Poisons has passed, 13 9. Treatise of Barthélémy d’Anglais—Hon. Robert Boyle—Nicolas l’Emery’s Cours de Chimie—Mead’s Mechanical Theory of Poisons—Rise of Modern Chemistry—Scheele’s Discoveries, 13, 14 10. History of Marsh’s Test, 14, 15 11. Orfila and his Traité de Toxicologie—Orfila’s Method of Experiment, 15 12. The Discovery of the Alkaloids—Separation of Narcotine, Morphine, Strychnine, Delphinine, Coniine, Codeine, Atropine, Aconitine, and Hyoscyamine, 15, 16 13. Bibliography of the Chief Works on Toxicology of the Nineteenth Century, 16-19 PART II. I. DEFINITION OF POISON. 14. The Legal Definition of Poison—English Law as to Poison, 20, 21 15. German Law as to Poisoning—French Law as to Poisoning, 21, 22 16. Scientific Definition of a Poison—The Author’s Definition, 22, 23 II. CLASSIFICATION OF POISONS. 17. Foderé’s, Orfila’s, Casper’s, Taylor’s, and Guy’s Definition of Poisons—Poisons arranged according to their Prominent Effects, 23, 24 18. Kobert’s Classification, 24, 25 19. The Author’s Arrangement, 25-28 III. STATISTICS. 20. Statistics of Poisoning in England and Wales during the Ten Years 1883-92—Various Tables, 28-31 21. German Statistics of Poisoning, 31-33 22. Criminal Poisoning in France, 33, 34 IV. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TOXIC ACTION AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. [vii] [viii] 23. The Influence of Hydroxyl—The Replacement of Hydrogen by a Halogen—Bamberger’s Acylic and Aromatic Bases, 35, 36 24. The Replacement of Hydrogen by Alkyls in Aromatic Bodies, 36-38 25. The Influence of Carbonyl Groups, 39 26. Oscar Loew’s Theory as to the Action of Poisons, 39-41 27. Michet’s Experiments on the relative Toxicity of Metals, 41, 42 V. LIFE TESTS: OR THE IDENTIFICATION OF POISON BY EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS. 28. The Action of Poisons on Infusoria, Cephalopoda, Insects, 42-44 29. Effect of Poisons on the Heart of Cold-blooded Animals, 44, 45 30. The Effect of Poisons on the Iris, 45, 46 VI. GENERAL METHOD OF PROCEDURE IN SEARCHING FOR POISON. 31. Concentration in a Vacuum—Drying the Substance—Solvents—Destruction of Organic Matter, 46-50 32. Autenrieth’s General Process—Distillation—Shaking up with Solvents—Isolation of Metals— Investigation of Sulphides Soluble in Ammonium Sulphide—of Sulphides Insoluble in Ammonium Sulphide—Search for Zinc and Chromium—Search for Lead, Silver, and Barium, 50-53 VII. THE SPECTROSCOPE AS AN AID TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF CERTAIN POISONS. 33. The Micro-Spectroscope—Oscar Brasch’s Researches of the Spectra of Colour Reactions —Wave Lengths, 54-56 Examination of Blood or of Blood-Stains. 34. Naked-eye Appearance of Blood-Stains—Dragendorff’s Process for Dissolving Blood, 56, 57 35. Spectroscopic Appearances of Blood—Spectrum of Hydric Sulphide Blood—of Carbon Oxide Hæmoglobin—Methæmoglobin—of Acid Hæmatin—Tests for CO Blood— Piotrowski’s Experiments on CO Blood—Preparation of Hæmatin Crystals—The Guaiacum Test for Blood, 57-62 36. Distinction between the Blood of Animals and Men—The Alkalies in various Species of Blood, 62, 63 PART III.—POISONOUS GASES: CARBON MONOXIDE—CHLORINE —HYDRIC SULPHIDE. I. CARBON MONOXIDE. 37. Properties of Carbon Monoxide, 64 38. Symptoms—Acute Form—Chronic Form, 64-66 39. Poisonous Action on the Blood—Action on the Nervous System, 66, 67 40. Post-mortem Appearances, 67 41. Mass Poisonings by Carbon Monoxide—The Leeds Case—The Darlaston Cases, 67-70 42. Detection of Carbon Monoxide—The Cuprous Chloride Method—Wanklyn’s Method— Hempel’s Method, 70, 71 II. CHLORINE. 43. Chlorine; its Properties—The Weldon Process of manufacturing “Bleaching Powder,” 71, 72 44. Effects of Chlorine, 72 45. Post-mortem Appearances, 72 46. Detection of Free Chlorine, 72 III. HYDRIC SULPHIDE (SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN). 47. Properties of Hydric Sulphide, 72, 73 48. Effects of breathing Hydric Sulphide—Action on the Blood—The Cleator Moor Case, 73, 74 49. Post-mortem Appearances, 74 50. Detection, 74 [ix] 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 [x] 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 [xi] 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 PART V.—MORE OR LESS VOLATILE POISONOUS SUBSTANCES CAPABLE OF BEING SEPARATED BY DISTILLATION FROM NEUTRAL OR ACID LIQUIDS. Hydrocarbons—Camphor—Alcohol—Amyl Nitrite—Ether—Chloroform and other Anæsthetics —Chloral—Carbon Bisulphide—Carbolic Acid—Nitro-Benzene—Prussic Acid—Phosphorus. I. HYDROCARBONS. 1. Petroleum. 137. Petroleum, 129 138. Cymogene, 129 139. Rhigolene, 129 140. Gasolene, 129 141. Benzoline—Distinction between Petroleum-Naphtha, Shale-Naphtha, and Coal-Tar Naphtha, 129, 130 142. Paraffin Oil, 130 143. Effects of Petroleum—Experiments on Rabbits, &c., 130, 131 144. Poisoning by Petroleum—Illustrative Cases, 131 145. Separation and Tests for Petroleum, 131 2. Coal-Tar Naphtha—Benzene. 146. Composition of Commercial Coal-Tar Naphtha, 131 147. Symptoms observed after Swallowing Coal-Tar Naphtha, 132 148. Effects of the Vapour of Benzene, 132 Detection and Separation of Benzene. 149. Separation of Benzene—(1) Purification; (2) Conversion into Nitro-Benzene; (3) Conversion into Aniline, 132, 133 3. Terpenes—Essential Oils—Oil of Turpentine. 150. Properties of the Terpenes, Cedrenes, and Colophenes, 133 4. Oil of Turpentine—Spirits of Turpentine. 151. Terebenthene—Distinction between French and English Turpentine, 133, 134 152. Effects of the Administration of Turpentine, 134 II. CAMPHOR. 153. Properties of Camphor, 135 154. Pharmaceutical Preparations, 135 155. Symptoms of Poisoning by Camphor, 135 156. Post-mortem Appearances, 136 157. Separation from the Contents of the Stomach, 136 III. ALCOHOLS. 1. Ethylic Alcohol. 158. Chemical Properties of Alcohol—Statistics of Poisoning by Alcohol, 136 159. Criminal or Accidental Alcoholic Poisoning, 137 160. Fatal Dose, 137 161. Symptoms of Acute Poisoning by Alcohol, 137, 138 [xii] [xiii] 162. Post-mortem Appearances, 138, 139 163. Excretion of Alcohol, 139, 140 164. Toxicological Detection, 140 2. Amylic Alcohol. 165. Properties of Amylic Alcohol, 140 166. Experiments as to the Effect on Animals of Amylic Alcohol, 140, 141 167. Detection and Estimation of Amylic Alcohol, 141 168. Amyl Nitrite—Properties—Symptoms—Post-mortem Appearances, 141 IV. ETHER. 169. Properties of Ethylic Ether, 141, 142 170. Ether as a Poison, 142 171. Fatal Dose, 142 172. Ether as an Anæsthetic, 142, 143 173. Separation of Ether from Organic Fluids, &c., 143 V. CHLOROFORM. 174. Discovery of Chloroform—Properties, Adulterations, and Methods for Detecting them, 143-145 175. Methods of Manufacturing Chloroform, 145, 146 Poisonous Effects of Chloroform. 1. As a Liquid. 176. Statistics, 146 177. Local Action, 146 178. Action on Blood, Muscle, and Nerve-Tissue, 146 179. General Effects of Liquid Chloroform—Illustrative Cases, 146, 147 180. Fatal Dose, 147 181. Symptoms, 148 182. Post-mortem Appearances, 148 2. The Vapour of Chloroform. 183. Statistics of Deaths through Chloroform—Anæsthesia, 148, 149 184. Suicidal and Criminal Poisoning—Illustrative Cases, 149, 150 185. Physiological Effects, 150 186. Symptoms witnessed in Death from Chloroform Vapour, 150, 151 187. Chronic Chloroform Poisoning—Mental Effects from Use of Chloroform, 151, 152 188. Post-mortem Appearances, 152 189. The Detection and Estimation of Chloroform—Various Tests, 152, 153 190. Quantitative Estimation, 153 VI. OTHER ANÆSTHETICS. 191. Methyl Chloride—Methene Dichloride, &c., 154 192. Pentane, 154 193. Aldehyde, 154 194. Paraldehyde, 154 VII. CHLORAL. 195. Chloral Hydrate; its Composition and Properties, 154, 155 196. Detection, 155 197. Quantitative Estimation of Chloral Hydrate, 155, 156 198. Effects of Chloral Hydrate on Animals—Depression of Temperature—Influence on the Secretion of Milk, &c., 156, 157 199. Action upon the Blood, 157 200. Effects on Man, 157, 158 201. Fatal Dose, 158, 159 202. Symptoms, 159 203. Action of Chloral upon the Brain, 159 [xiv] 204. Treatment of Acute Chloral Poisoning, 160 205. Chronic Poisoning by Chloral Hydrate, 160, 161 206. Manner in which Chloral is Decomposed in, and Excreted from, the Body, 161, 162 207. Separation from Organic Matters—Tests for Chloral, 162, 163 VIII. BISULPHIDE OF CARBON. 208. Properties of Bisulphide of Carbon, 163 209. Poisoning by Bisulphide of Carbon, 163 210. Action on Animals, 163, 164 211. Chronic Poisoning by Bisulphide of Carbon—Effects on the Brain, &c., 164, 165 212. Post-mortem Appearances, 165 213. Separation and Detection of Carbon Bisulphide—Tests, 165 214. Xanthogenic Acid, 165 215. Potassic Xanthogenate, 165 IX. THE TAR ACIDS—PHENOL—CRESOL. 216. Properties and Sources of Carbolic Acid, 165, 166 217. Different Forms of Carbolic Acid—Calvert’s Carbolic Acid Powder—Carbolic Acid Soaps, 166, 167 218. Uses of Carbolic Acid, 167 219. Statistics Relative to Poisoning by Carbolic Acid, 167-169 220. Fatal Dose, 169 221. Effects on Animals—Infusoria—Fish—Frogs, 169, 170 222. Effects on Warm-Blooded Animals, 170 223. Symptoms Produced in Man—External Application—Action on the Skin—Effects of the Vapour—Use of Carbolic Acid Lotions—Injections, &c.—Illustrative Cases, 170-172 224. Internal Administration—Illustrative Cases, 173 225. General Review of the Symptoms induced by Carbolic Acid, 173, 174 226. Changes Produced in the Urine by Carbolic Acid, 174, 175 227. The Action of Carbolic Acid considered Physiologically, 175, 176 228. Forms under which Carbolic Acid is Excreted, 176 229. Post-mortem Appearances, 176, 177 Tests for Carbolic Acid. 230. (1) The Pine-Wood Test—(2) Ammonia and Hypochlorite Test—(3) Ferric Chloride—(4) Bromine, 177, 178 231. Quantitative Estimation of Carbolic Acid, 178, 179 232. Properties of Cresol, and Tests for Distinguishing Cresol and Carbolic Acid, 179 233. Properties of Creasote—Tests, 179, 180 234. Separation of Carbolic Acid from Organic Fluids or Tissues, 180, 181 235. Examination of the Urine for Phenol or Cresol, 181 236. Assay of Disinfectants, Carbolic Acid Powders—E. Waller’s Process—Koppeschaar’s Volumetric Method—Colorimetric Method of Estimation, 181-183 237. Carbolic Acid Powders, 183 238. Carbolic Acid Soaps, 183 X. NITRO-BENZENE. 239. Properties and Varieties, 183, 184 240. Effects of Poisoning by Nitro-Benzene, 184 241. Illustrative Cases of Poisoning by Nitro-Benzene Vapour, 184, 185 242. Effects Produced by taking Liquid Nitro-Benzene, 185, 186 243. Fatal Dose, 186, 187 244. Pathological Appearances, 187 245. The Essential Action of Nitro-Benzene, 187, 188 246. Detection and Separation from the Animal Tissues, 188 XI. DINITRO-BENZOL. 247. Properties of Ortho-, Meta-, and Para-Dinitro-Benzol, 189 248. Effects of Dinitro-Benzol, 189, 190 249. The Blood in Nitro-Benzol Poisoning, 191 [xv] 250. Detection of Dinitro-Benzol, 192 XII. HYDROCYANIC ACID. 251. Properties of Hydrocyanic Acid, 192 252. Medicinal Preparations of Prussic Acid—Various Strengths of the Commercial Acid, 192, 193 253. Poisoning by Prussic Acid—Uses in the Arts—Distribution in the Vegetable Kingdom, 193-195 254. Composition and Varieties of Amygdalin, 195 255. Statistics of Poisoning by Prussic Acid, 195-197 256. Accidental and Criminal Poisoning, 197, 198 257. Fatal Dose, 198 258. Action of Hydric and Potassic Cyanides on Living Organisms, 198, 199 259. Symptoms observed in Animals, 199, 200 260. Length of Interval between taking the Poison and Death in Animals, 200, 201 261. Symptoms in Man, 201, 202 262. Possible Acts after taking the Poison—Nunneley’s Experiments, 202, 203 263. Chronic Poisoning by Hydric Cyanide, 203 264. Post-mortem Appearances, 203, 204 265. Tests for Hydrocyanic Acid and Cyanide of Potassium—Schönbein’s Test—Kobert’s Test, 204-206 266. Separation of Hydric Cyanide or Potassic Cyanide from Organic Matters—N. Sokoloff’s Experiments, 206-208 267. How long after Death can Hydric or Potassic Cyanide be Detected? 208, 209 268. Estimation of Hydrocyanic Acid or Potassic Cyanide, 209 269. Case of Poisoning by Bitter Almonds, 209, 210 Poisonous Cyanides other than Hydric and Potassic Cyanides. 270. General Action of the Alkaline Cyanides—Experiments with Ammonic Cyanide Vapour, 210 271. The Poisonous Action of several Metallic and Double Cyanides—The Effects of Mercuric and Silver Cyanides; of Potassic and Hydric Sulphocyanides; of Cyanogen Chloride; of Methyl Cyanide, and of Cyanuric Acid, 210, 211 XIII. PHOSPHORUS. 272. Properties of Phosphorus—Solubility—Effects of Heat on Phosphorus, 212, 213 273. Phosphuretted Hydrogen—Phosphine, 213 274. The Medicinal Preparations of Phosphorus, 213 275. Matches and Vermin Paste, 213-215 276. Statistics of Phosphorus Poisoning, 215, 216 277. Fatal Dose, 216 278. Effects of Phosphorus, 217 279. Different Forms of Phosphorus Poisoning, 217, 218 280. Common Form, 218, 219 281. Hæmorrhagic Form, 219 282. Nervous Form, 219 283. Sequelæ, 219, 220 284. Period at which the First Symptoms commence, 220 285. Period of Death, 220 286. Effects of Phosphorus Vapour—Experiments on Rabbits, 220, 221 287. Effects of Chronic Phosphorus Poisoning, 221, 222 288. Changes in the Urinary Secretion, 222 289. Changes in the Blood, 222, 223 290. Antidote—Treatment by Turpentine, 223 291. Poisonous Effects of Phosphine, 223, 224 292. Coefficient of Solubility of Phosphine in Blood compared with Pure Water, 224 293. Post-mortem Appearances—Effects on the Liver, 224-228 294. Pathological Changes in the Kidneys, Lungs, and Nervous System, 228 295. Diagnostic Differences between Acute Yellow Atrophy of the Liver and Fatty Liver produced by Phosphorus, 228, 229 296. Detection of Phosphorus—Mitscherlich’s Process—The Production of Phosphine—Tests Dependent on the Combustion of Phosphine, 229-232 297. The Spectrum of Phosphine—Lipowitz’s Sulphur Test—Scherer’s Test, 232, 233 [xvi] 298. Chemical Examination of the Urine, 233, 234 299. Quantitative Estimation of Phosphorus, 234 300. How long can Phosphorus be recognised after Death? 234, 235 PART VI.—ALKALOIDS AND POISONOUS VEGETABLE PRINCIPLES SEPARATED FOR THE MOST PART BY ALCOHOLIC SOLVENTS. Division I.—Vegetable Alkaloids. I. GENERAL METHOD OF TESTING AND EXTRACTING ALKALOIDS. 301. General Tests for Alkaloids, 236 302. Group-Reagents, 236, 237 303. Phosphomolybdic, Silico-Tungstic, and Phospho-Tungstic Acids as Alkaloidal Reagents, 237-239 304. Schulze’s Reagent, 239 305. Dragendorff’s Reagent, 239 306. Colour Tests, 239 307. Stas’s Process, 239 Methods of Separation. 308. Selmi’s Process for Separating Alkaloids, 240, 241 309. Dragendorff’s Process, 241-254 310. Shorter Process for Separating some of the Alkaloids, 254, 255 311. Scheibler’s Process for Alkaloids, 255 312. Grandval and Lajoux’s Method, 255, 256 313. Identification of the Alkaloids, 256 314. Sublimation of the Alkaloids, 256-261 315. Melting-point, 261 316. Identification by Organic Analysis, 261, 262 317. Quantitative Estimation of the Alkaloids—Mayer’s Reagent—Compound of the Alkaloids with Chlorides of Gold and Platinum, 262-264 II. LIQUID VOLATILE ALKALOIDS. 1. The Alkaloids of Hemlock (Conium). 318. Botanical Description of Hemlock, 264 319. Properties of Coniine—Tests, 264-266 320. Other Coniine Bases, 266 321. Pharmaceutical Preparations of Hemlock, 266, 267 322. Statistics of Coniine Poisoning, 267 323. Effects of Coniine on Animals, 267, 268 324. Effects of Coniine on Man, 268 325. Physiological Action of Coniine, 268 326. Post-mortem Appearances—Fatal Dose, 268, 269 327. Separation of Coniine from Organic Matters or Tissues, 269 2. Tobacco—Nicotine. 328. General Composition of Tobacco, 269, 270 329. Quantitative Estimation of Nicotine in Tobacco, 270, 271 330. Nicotine; its Properties and Tests, 271-273 331. Effects of Nicotine on Animals, 273, 274 332. Effects of Nicotine on Man, 274, 275 333. Some Instances of Poisoning by Tobacco and Tobacco Juice, 275-277 334. Physiological Action of Nicotine, 277, 278 335. Fatal Dose, 278 336. Post-mortem Appearances, 278 337. Separation of Nicotine from Organic Matters, &c., 278, 279 [xvii] 3. Piturie. 338. Properties of Piturie, 279 4. Sparteine. 339. Properties of Sparteine, 279, 280 5. Aniline. 340. Properties of Aniline, 280 341. Symptoms and Effects, 280, 281 342. Fatal Dose, 281 343. Detection of Aniline, 281 III. THE OPIUM GROUP OF ALKALOIDS. 344. General Composition of Opium, 281, 282 345. Action of Solvents on Opium, 282, 283 346. The Methods of Teschemacher and Smith, of Dott and others for the Assay of Opium, 283, 284 347. Medicinal and other Preparations of Opium, 284-288 348. Statistics of Opiate Poisoning, 288, 289 349. Poisoning of Children by Opium, 289 350. Doses of Opium and Morphine—Fatal Dose, 289, 290 351. General Method for the Detection of Opium, 290, 291 352. Morphine; its Properties, 291, 292 353. Morphine Salts; their Solubility, 292, 293 354. Constitution of Morphine, 293, 294 355. Tests for Morphine and its Compounds—Production of Morphine Hydriodide—Iodic Acid Test and other Reactions—Transformation of Morphine into Codeine, 294-296 356. Symptoms of Opium and Morphine Poisoning—Action on Animals, 296-298 357. Physiological Action, 298, 299 358. Physiological Action of Morphine Derivatives, 299 359. Action on Man—(a) The Sudden Form; (b) the Convulsive Form; (c) a Remittent Form of Opium Poisoning—Illustrative Cases, 299-303 360. Diagnosis of Opium Poisoning, 303, 304 361. Opium-Eating, 304-306 362. Treatment of Opium or Morphine Poisoning, 306 363. Post-mortem Appearances, 306, 307 364. Separation of Morphine from Animal Tissues and Fluids, 307 365. Extraction of Morphine, 308, 309 366. Narcotine; its Properties and Tests, 309, 310 367. Effects of Narcotine, 310 368. Codeine—Properties of Codeine, 310, 311 369. Effects of Codeine on Animals—Claude Bernard’s Experiments, 311 370. Narceine—Properties of Narceine—Tests, 312, 313 371. Effects of Narceine, 313, 314 372. Papaverine—Properties of Papaverine—Tests, 314 373. Effects of Papaverine, 314 374. Thebaine; its Properties, 314, 315 375. Thebaine; its Effects, 315 376. Cryptopine, 315, 316 377. Rhœadine, 316 378. Pseudomorphine, 316 379. Opianine, 316 380. Apomorphine, 316, 317 381. Reactions of some of the Rarer Opium Alkaloids, 317 382. Tritopine, 317 383. Meconin (Opianyl), 317 384. Meconic Acid—Effects of Meconic Acid—Tests, 318, 319 IV. THE STRYCHNINE OR TETANUS-PRODUCING GROUP OF ALKALOIDS. [xviii] 1. Nux Vomica Group—Strychnine—Brucine—Igasurine. 385. Nux Vomica—Characteristics of the Entire and of the Powdered Seed, 319 386. Chemical Composition of Nux Vomica, 319 387. Strychnine—Microscopical Appearances—Properties—Medicinal Preparations—Strychnine Salts, 319-322 388. Pharmaceutical and other Preparations of Nux Vomica, with Suggestions for their Valuation— Vermin-Killers, 322-324 389. Statistics, 324-325 390. Fatal Dose—Falck’s Experiments on Animals as to the Least Fatal Dose—Least Fatal Dose for Man, 325-328 391. Action on Animals—Frogs, 328, 329 392. Effects on Man—Symptoms—Distinction between “Disease Tetanus” and “Strychnos Tetanus,” 329-331 393. Diagnosis of Strychnine Poisoning, 331, 332 394. Physiological Action—Richet’s Experiments—The Rise of Temperature—Effect on the Blood-Pressure, 332, 333 395. Post-mortem Appearances, 333 396. Treatment, 333 397. Separation of Strychnine from Organic Matters—Separation from the Urine, Blood, and Tissues, 334-337 398. Identification of the Alkaloid—Colour Tests—Physiological Tests, 337-339 399. Hypaphorine, 339 400. Quantitative Estimation of Strychnine, 339, 340 401. Brucine; its Properties, 340, 341 402. Physiological Action of Brucine—Experiments of Falck, 341, 342 403. Tests for Brucine, 342, 343 404. Igasurine, 344 405. Strychnic Acid, 344 2. The Quebracho Group of Alkaloids. 406. The Alkaloids of Quebracho—Aspidospermine—Quebrachine, 344 3. Pereirine. 407. Pereirine, 344, 345 4. Gelsemine. 408. Properties of Gelsemine, 345 409. Fatal Dose of Gelsemine, 345 410. Effects on Animals—Physiological Action, 345 411. Effects of Gelsemine on Man, 346 412. Extraction from Organic Matters, or the Tissues of the Body, 347 5. Cocaine. 413. Cocaine; its Properties, 47, 348 414. Cocaine Hydrochlorate, 348 415. Pharmaceutical Preparations, 348 416. Separation of Cocaine and Tests, 348, 349 417. Symptoms, 349 418. Post-mortem Appearances, 349, 350 419. Fatal Dose, 350 6. Corydaline. 420. Properties of Corydaline, 350 V. THE ACONITE GROUP OF ALKALOIDS. 421. Varieties of Aconite—Description of the Flower, and of the Seeds, 350, 351 422. Pharmaceutical Preparations of Aconite, 351 423. The Aconite Alkaloids, 351 [xix]