ANILINE POISONING.
Composition. Source. Uses. Toxic action on skin, by inhalation, and by stomach. Symptoms: acute: chronic. Test. Treatment: emesis, purgatives, stimulants, tonics, enemata, bleeding, normal salt solution.
Aniline (Amidobenzene, Phenylamine, C6H7N) is a product of coal tar produced in the manufacture of benzole and of aniline dyes. Being an object of large production and consumption in the arts, its toxic action is seen not infrequently in man, and less so in animals. As used in confectionery it is so diluted that it is rarely or never injurious. On textile fabrics, however, it often causes cutaneous irritation, and when eaten by animals may be toxic. Workmen in the factories usually suffer from its inhalation.
Turnbull gave ½ dram sulphate of aniline to a dog, inducing vomiting in 2½ hours and purging one hour later. There were accelerated pulse, labored breathing and paraplegia, followed by recovery in five hours. Other objective symptoms are coldness of the surface, and a bluish or purple color of the visible mucosæ, the blood failing to take up oxygen. In chronic aniline poisoning in man the following symptoms have appeared: papular, vesicular or pustular skin eruptions, or ulcers on hands feet and scrotum; an odor of coal tar; anorexia, nausea and vomiting; headache, vertigo, stupor, ringing of the ears, amblyopia, muscular spasms, muscular weakness, anæsthesia and motor paralysis especially of the extremities. The fatal dose is 1½ dr. and upward.
Aniline may be extracted from the tissues by petroleum ether, and on the evaporation of the solution, it is left as an oily yellowish mass which gives the following reactions:—with a few drops of sodic hypochlorite a blue or violet blue; with acids a rose red; with bromine a flesh red.
The treatment must be by elimination by emesis, or purgation, by removal from aniline fumes or mixtures, and by stimulating and tonic agents. In place of emesis a stomach tube and lukewarm water in large amount may be employed to wash out the stomach. For vomiting animals ipecacuan may be employed. Copious enemata may be given, along with purgatives, to clear out the bowels. As stimulants strong coffee, caffein, camphor, or strychnia may be employed. In case of profound stupor, prostration, or paresis it may be desirable to reduce the amount of aniline in the system by free bloodletting, care being taken to inject subcutem, or into a serous cavity, a nearly equivalent amount of normal salt solution.