Alkaloidal Group Reagents
1. Iodine dissolved in solution of Potassium Iodide—Wagner‘s reagent.—Gives a reddish-brown precipitate with most alkaloids.
2. Phosphomolybdic Acid—Sonnenschein‘s reagent.—Made by dissolving phosphomolybdate of soda in water containing one-tenth its volume of strong nitric acid. It gives a yellow precipitate with most of the alkaloids; it also precipitates ammonium salts and ammonia derivatives, also salts of lead, silver, and mercury unless there be sufficient acid to keep them in solution.
3. Potassio-mercuric Iodide—Mayer‘s reagent.—Made by adding a solution of potassium iodide to one of mercuric chloride until the red precipitate first formed be just dissolved. This solution precipitates most of the alkaloids. The solution to be tested must contain acetic acid.
4. Phosphotungstic Acid—Scheibler‘s reagent.—This acts in a manner very similar to phosphomolybdic acid.
Methods for detecting
Vegetable Alkaloids
There are several methods recommended for the isolation and detection of the vegetable alkaloids, and their separation from the contents of the stomach or from the membranes and tissues of the body. The process, however, most generally pursued is that of Stas, which may be briefly described as follows:
(a) The substance to be examined is mixed with twice its weight of absolute alcohol, to which from ten to thirty grains of tartaric or oxalic acid—preferably the former—have been added, and the mixture subjected to gentle heat in a flask, 70° to 75° C., or 158° to 167° F.
(b) If the membranes or organs have to be examined, they are finely divided, treated with absolute alcohol, squeezed, and again treated with fresh alcohol as in (a).
In either case, the mixture, when quite cold, is filtered, and the alcoholic solution is concentrated by evaporation, either in vacuo or in a current of air not exceeding 95° F. or 35° C.
The liquid residue is now passed through a moistened filter, which separates the fat and other insoluble matters. The filtrate is evaporated to dryness over sulphuric acid or in vacuo, and the acid residue of this evaporation dissolved in the smallest possible quantity of distilled water. The acid liquid is then gradually neutralised with the bicarbonate of potash or soda until effervescence ceases, and afterwards shaken in a flask with four or five times its bulk of pure ether, and allowed to settle. When the ether has become quite clear, a small portion of it is decanted into a small glass capsule, and allowed to spontaneously evaporate in a dry place. If during evaporation streaks of liquid appear on the side of the capsule, running together at the bottom, a liquid volatile alkaloid is probably present. If none of these manifestations occur, the alkaloid is in all probability solid and non-volatile.
| The Alkaloid is Volatile. | The Alkaloid is Non-Volatile. |
|---|---|
| To the original mixture in a flask | To the original mixture in a |
| add a moderate quantity of a strong | flask add strong caustic potash or |
| solution of caustic potash or soda, | soda solution, and agitate with |
| mixed with ether; agitate, and allow | successive portions of pure ether |
| the mixture to settle. Pour off the | allowing it to completely settle |
| ethereal solution, and re-shake | each time. The ethereal solutions, |
| residue with a fresh quantity of | being mixed, are evaporated, leaving |
| ether; decant, and mix both solutions. | the alkaloid in an impure state. |
| The ethereal solution is now shaken | To purify it, the solid residue left |
| with a mixture of four parts of water | on evaporation is treated with a |
| and one of sulphuric acid, which | small quantity of dilute sulphuric |
| withdraws the alkaloid from its | acid, which dissolves the alkaloid, |
| solution, leaving any fatty matter | leaving any fatty impurities behind. |
| dissolved in the ether. The acid | The acid liquid is evaporated to |
| solution is now mixed with strong | three-quarters of its bulk over |
| potash or soda solution in excess,[20] | strong sulphuric acid, and then a |
| agitated with ether, the ether poured | saturated solution of carbonate of |
| off, and then evaporated at as low | potash or soda added. The absolute |
| a temperature as possible,[21] | alcohol will then dissolve out the |
| leaving the pure alkaloid with all its | pure alkaloid, giving it, on in the |
| characteristic chemical and | crystalline form, and in evaporation, |
| physical properties. | a state to show its characteristic |
| reactions. |
If morphine has to be sought for, the liquid should be shaken with ether immediately after being neutralised with carbonate of sodium, and the ether poured off as quickly as possible; for if the alkaloid have time to separate in the crystalline form, scarcely any of it is dissolved by the ether (Otto).
The method of Stas is based upon the fact that the salts of the alkaloids, as a class, are soluble in water and alcohol, but are insoluble in ether; and that these salts when in solution are readily decomposed by the mineral alkalies with the elimination of the alkaloids, which, in their free and uncombined state, are more or less readily soluble in ether.
Otto‘s Method.—Otto‘s modification of Stas‘s process is simpler, and at the same time equally accurate. Instead of numerous treatments and evaporations which have to be gone through in the original process, Otto converts the alkaloid into a salt, such as the sulphate, by the addition of acid, and after solution in a small quantity of water, agitates with successive quantities of ether, which remove all foreign fatty matters, leaving the solution of the alkaloid comparatively pure, and from which the alkaloid may be obtained in a state of great purity, by first rendering the solution alkaline and then using ether to dissolve the alkaloid.
R. Wagner‘s Method.—The presence of alkaloids in organic liquids—strychnia in beer, for example—may, according to R. Wagner (Zeitschr. Anal. Chem., vol. iv. p. 387), be detected by mixing the liquid, diluted with two vols. water (½ to 1 litre), with about 5 c.c. of a solution of iodine in potassium iodide (12.7 grains iodine to the litre) and a few drops of sulphuric acid. The precipitate separated from the supernatant liquid is dissolved in a dilute solution of sodium hyposulphite, and again precipitated by means of the iodine solution. If this new precipitate be now dissolved in aqueous sulphurous acid, the solution will leave, on evaporation, the pure sulphate of the base.
Dragendorff‘s Method.—This is intended for the purpose of separating alkaloids from each other when more than one are in aqueous solution, by using different solvents in sequence. Some solvents take up certain alkaloids to the exclusion of others. The process consists of extracting the aqueous acid solution of the alkaloids successively with petroleum spirit, benzene, chloroform, and amyl-alcohol, then alkalising it and repeating with the same solvents.
1. From the acid solution benzene removes caffeine, colchicine, santonin, digitalin, cantharidin. Chloroform removes papaverine, colchicine, narceine, picrotoxin.
2. From the alkaline solution petroleum ether removes strychnine, brucine, aconitine, veratrine, conine, nicotine, lobeline, emetine, and aniline. Benzene removes atropine, hyoscyamine, physostigmine, codeine, narcotine, and further quantities of strychnine, brucine, aconitine, veratrine, and emetine. Chloroform removes morphine, narceine, papaverine, strychnine, and brucine. Amyl-alcohol removes morphine, solanine, and narceine.
The Stas process cannot be recommended for the detection of opium in organic liquids, for two reasons. Firstly, that it altogether fails to indicate the presence of meconic acid; and, secondly, because morphine is almost insoluble in ether. Dragendorff recommends the use of benzole for separating the alkaloids, but in this substance morphia is nearly insoluble. It is, however, applicable to strychnine, aconitine, conine, and atropine; but for the two last, on account of their volatility, ether is preferable.
Rodger‘s and Girdwood‘s Method.—Extraction with dilute hydrochloric acid and the use of chloroform instead of ether. Chloroform is a much better solvent of most alkaloids than ether. Particularly useful for the isolation of strychnine and for most alkaloids, but there is a little danger of hydrolysis of the alkaloid in the use of a mineral acid, e.g. hyoscine.
Stevenson‘s Modification of the Otto-Stas Process.—The material to be examined, if solid, is finely divided, and digested for twenty-four hours with twice its weight of rectified spirit at 35° C.; if fluid, with twice its volume. The clear liquid is decanted and the residue again digested with fresh spirit; this is again decanted, and mixed with the first alcoholic solution. The residue is now digested with spirit faintly acidified with acetic acid; this is decanted, and the residue digested with two or three lots of unacidified alcohol. The alcoholic extracts obtained before acidification are mixed together and rapidly raised to 70° C. for a moment or two. They are quickly cooled and filtered, and the filter washed with spirit. The acidified extract and those after it are mixed and treated in the same way. The extracts are then separately evaporated at a temperature not above 35° C. to the consistency of a syrup, the excess of acid being neutralised with soda; these are extracted with absolute alcohol, and the extracts evaporated to a syrup as before. The syrupy extracts are now diluted with a small quantity of water, filtered, the filters washed with water, and the filtrates mixed. The liquid will contain the whole of the alkaloids, and will be free from albuminoids, which have been coagulated while the extracts were at 70° C. The liquid containing the alkaloids is extracted several times with washed ether, which removes fatty acids or oils, but does not remove alkaloidal salts. The ether should be washed with water to which a few drops of sulphuric acid has been added, and the water kept: this has to be done because some alkaloidal salts are slightly soluble in ether. The acid liquid and the acidified aqueous washings of the ether are mixed together, rendered alkaline with sodium carbonate, and exhausted firstly with a mixture of one volume of chloroform to three of ether, and lastly three or four times with ether alone.
The alkalisation with sodium carbonate liberates the alkaloids from their salts, and these are soluble in the chloroform-ether and ether. These ethereal extracts are then washed with water acidified with sulphuric acid, and water alone, and the washings mixed. The water acidulated with sulphuric acid converts them into sulphates, which are insoluble in the ether and chloroform, and are removed by the acidified water, while impurities are left behind. The mixed aqueous and acid extracts are again washed with ether, the ether removed, and the liquid re-alkalised with sodium carbonate and then re-extracted with chloroform-ether and ether.
The ethereal solutions are removed and are washed with water slightly alkalised with sodium carbonate. The ethereal solution is filtered through a dry filter, the filtrate evaporated to dryness first at 35° C. then at 100° C., and cooled over sulphuric acid. The residue is weighed and represents the weight of the alkaloids. A test quantity should be evaporated to see if there be any oily odorous residue, i.e. a volatile alkaloid, nicotine or conine. If so, the chloroform and ether extracts should be mixed with a little pure ether and strong hydrochloric acid; the alkaloids are thus changed into non-volatile hydrochlorides, which are left behind after evaporation of the chloroform and ether. Any alkaloid found should be converted into the hydrochloride, dissolved, and tested by special tests. Morphine cannot be extracted except in very minute amounts by this method. To obtain it, the first alkaline solution from which the other alkaloids have been removed should be extracted with acetic ether and ether, in which morphine is soluble.
Fig. 36.—Photo-micrograph of crystals
of hydrochloride of morphine, × 50.
(R. J. M. Buchanan.)
Taylor‘s method for the extraction of morphine may be briefly described as follows:
The liquid—porter, &c.—to be examined is acidified with acetic acid; or, if a solid organ is to be tested, it must be cut into thin slices and placed in distilled water acidified in a similar way. In either case the liquid is digested for one or two hours at a gentle heat, and filtered. Acetate of lead is now added to the filtrate until no further precipitation occurs; the liquid is then boiled and filtered. The meconic acid remains on the filter as meconate of lead, while the filtrate contains the morphine as acetate. The liquid is freed from excess of lead by passing through it a current of sulphuretted hydrogen, filtered to remove the precipitated sulphide of lead, and the resulting liquid evaporated to an extract on a water bath, and treated with alcohol. The alcoholic solution on evaporation gives acetate of morphine, which may then be tested.
Fig. 37.—Photo-micrograph of meconic acid
crystallised from aqueous solution, × 50.
(R. J. M. Buchanan.)
Fig. 38.—Photo-micrograph of meconic acid
crystallised from an alcoholic solution, × 50.
(R. J. M. Buchanan.)
The meconate of lead which remains on the filter is decomposed by treating it with dilute sulphuric acid, and gently boiling the mixture. The filtered liquid should be neutralised before the tests for the presence of meconic acid are applied.
The reactions of both morphine and meconic acid are best seen from the following Table:—
| Morphine—Solid | |
|---|---|
| Treated with strong nitric acid. | Dissolves with effervescence and |
| the production of ruddy fumes, | |
| forming a rich orange-coloured | |
| solution not changed by the | |
| addition of stannous chloride. | |
| Mixed with a little iodic acid | A blue colour, due to the |
| and starch paste. | liberation of iodine. |
| Dissolved in cold strong | Bright-green colour. |
| sulphuric acid, and a drop of | |
| strong solution of bichromate | |
| of potash added. | |
| Rubbed with sulphomolybdic acid | A violet colour changing to |
| (Frohde‘s reagent). | green, and then sapphire-blue. |
| Morphine and Meconic Acid in Solution | ||
|---|---|---|
| Morphine. | Meconic Acid. | |
| Tested with litmus paper. | Slightly alkaline. | Very distinctly acid. |
| A little perchloride | An inky-blue colour, | Deep red colour, not |
| of iron, rendered | destroyed and changed | easily destroyed by |
| of nearly neutral | to orange-red by | a solution of |
| as possible. | nitric acid. | corrosive sublimate or |
| dilute mineral acids. | ||
The characteristic tests for morphine are its reactions with nitric acid, iodic acid and starch, and perchloride of iron. The reaction with the perchloride of iron is also characteristic of meconic acid. This last-mentioned test is a very conclusive one for meconic acid, when certain precautions are taken; for the property of striking a deep red with a persalt of iron is shared equally by sulphocyanides and alkaline acetates. The colour produced by sulphocyanic acid is instantly bleached on the addition of corrosive sublimate. The question thus lies between acetic and meconic acid. To distinguish the one from the other, the solution to be tested should be boiled for a short time after the addition of a few drops of sulphuric acid. Any acetate present is decomposed and the acetic acid is expelled by the boiling; so that if, after allowing the solution to cool, it still gives the red colour with perchloride of iron, the reaction may be taken as conclusive of meconic acid. By these means morphine and meconic acid may be detected in porter and other liquids.
Table showing the Characters and
Tests of the Following Poisons
| Morphine. | Strychnine. |
|---|---|
| 1. Crystallises in colourless | 1. Crystallises in white |
| transparent prisms, belonging | four-sided prisms, terminated |
| to the trimetric system. | by four-sided pyramids. |
| 2. Sulphuric acid and | 2. Treated with cold sulphuric |
| bichromate of potash give | acid, no reaction; on |
| a bright-green coloration. | the addition of a crystal of |
| potassium bichromate, an | |
| intense purple colour is | |
| produced, becoming | |
| crimson and then light red | |
| 3. Strong colourless nitric acid, | 3. Strong nitric acid usually |
| added freely to a cold | produces a yellow or |
| solution, produces a deep | yellow-brown colour. |
| orange-red coloration, not | |
| changed by stannous chloride. | |
| Brucine. | Narcotine. |
| 1. Crystallises in oblique rhomboidal | 1. Crystallises in right rhombic |
| prisms, sometimes agglomerated | prisms, or in needles |
| mushroom-like heads. | grouped in bundles. |
| 2. Sulphuric acid gives a | 2. Sulphuric acid a bright |
| rich rose-pink tint; on the | sulphur-yellow colour, |
| addition of potassium | potassium bichromate added a |
| bichromate, none of the | green colour as with morphine, |
| reactions of strychnine | but slower in production. |
| are observed. | |
| 3. Strong nitric acid produces a | 3. Strong nitric acid forms |
| blood-red colour, changed | a colourless fluid, becoming |
| after warming and diluting | yellow on heating. |
| with distilled water to purple | |
| by stannous chloride; | |
| ammonium sulphide gives | |
| a similar but less marked | |
| reaction. Excess of stannous | |
| chloride discharges the | |
| blood-red colour in the cold. |
CHAPTER VIII
NARCOTIC POISONS
Somniferous
OPIUM
Opium is the inspissated juice of the Papaver somniferum, the garden or opium poppy. The plant is a native of Egypt and Syria, cultivated in England.
Opium is sometimes taken in its crude state as a poison, but more frequently one of its preparations is thus employed—notably the tincture, better known as laudanum.
The poisonous properties of this drug reside in an alkaloid, morphine—in combination with an acid, meconic acid. The several varieties of opium vary considerably in the quantity of morphine which they contain, the amount varying from 2 to 9 per cent.
Opium, or its alkaloid, morphine, forms an important ingredient in Dalby‘s Carminative, Winslow‘s Soothing Syrup, Godfrey‘s Cordial, Chlorodyne, Nepenthe, &c.
Of all forms of poisoning, that by opium and its preparations is the most frequent; and it is stated that three-fourths of all the deaths from opium occur among children under five years of age.
Symptoms.—The rapidity with which the symptoms of poisoning by opium make their appearance will depend upon the form in which the poison is taken—solution, of course, increasing the activity of the drug. In most cases, an interval of from half an hour to an hour elapses after the poison has been swallowed before any evil effects become apparent. Christison, however, mentions a case in which stupor did not show itself for eighteen hours. During the first stage of poisoning by opium, the patient may become slightly excited; this state is, however, soon followed by giddiness and drowsiness. The eyes are kept open with difficulty. Stupor and insensibility now supervene, from which he may, in most cases, be temporarily aroused by a loud noise or a smart blow. As the case progresses, coma and stertorous breathing occur, and it becomes almost impossible to rouse him at all. The pulse, at first small, quick, and irregular, becomes slow and full as the coma increases. The breathing, hurried in the early stages, is now slow and stertorous. The pupils are contracted in the early stages, and may be in the later stages dilated; the former condition is most frequently present, together with insensibility to light. The pupils may be contracted in cases of hæmorrhage into the pons Varolii, and this disease has been mistaken for opium poisoning. In uræmic coma, coming on in the course of Bright‘s disease, the pupils may also be contracted; the nature of the case will be explained by the history and presence of dropsy. All the secretions, except that of the skin, are suspended, and the bowels are usually obstinately confined. The breath may be impregnated with the odour of opium. Certain anomalies in the symptoms may occur; thus, there may be vomiting and purging, convulsions (the last most frequent in children), delirium, tetanic spasms, one pupil dilated and the other contracted, paralysis, and anæsthesia. It must be borne in mind that remissions sometimes occur in the symptoms, the patient dying after an attempt at recovery.
A question of some importance may arise as to the amount of volition and power of locomotion which may exist for some time after a poisonous dose has been taken. Death may be due to causes other than the effect of poison. It must, at least, be admitted as possible, that a person, after swallowing a quantity of opium sufficient to cause death, may yet be able to walk and move about for one or two hours.
Opium-eating.—If opium be taken for some time in small doses, the system becomes tolerant of it, so that a dose which would be poisonous to most people only produces a slight and pleasurable excitement. De Quincey was in the habit of taking daily nine ounces of laudanum. The habitual opium-eater generally suffers from disorders of the digestive organs, dyspepsia and its train of unpleasant symptoms; the body becomes thin, the countenance attenuated, the eyes sunken and glassy, the gait halting, and the body bent. The craving for the drug, which becomes greater and greater, is only temporarily satisfied by larger and larger doses. The opium-eater seldom attains a great age, usually dying before forty. This is perhaps a somewhat exaggerated picture of the ill effects of opium-eating. Christison, after quoting the results of his observations in twenty-five cases of confirmed opium-eaters, concludes as follows: “These facts tend on the whole rather to show that the practice of eating opium is not so injurious, and an opium-eater‘s life is not uninsurable, as is commonly thought, and that an insured person, who did not make known his habit, could scarcely be considered guilty of concealment to the effect of voiding his insurance. But I am far from thinking (as several represent who have quoted this work) that what has now been stated can with justice be held to establish such important inferences; for there is an obvious reason why, in an inquiry of this kind, those instances chiefly should come under notice where the constitution has escaped injury—cases fatal in early life being more apt to be lost sight of, or more likely to be concealed.”
Effects of External Application.—The application of opium to the surface of the body is not usually attended with dangerous symptoms; but, in a few cases, due probably to some idiosyncrasy, alarming effects, or even death, have resulted from the external application of the drug. Orfila has tried to show that opium is readily absorbed by the coats of the rectum, and that it acts more rapidly than when taken into the stomach. This statement does not appear to be correct, for the dose administered by enema is usually twice that given by the mouth.
Post-mortem Appearances.—As might be expected, the appearances found after death are not very characteristic. The vessels of the brain are congested, and serous effusions in the ventricles or between the membranes are not uncommon. Engorgement of the lungs is most frequently present in those cases in which convulsions have occurred. The stomach is in most cases found quite healthy. The bladder may be full of urine, due probably to the person being unable to empty it from loss of consciousness.
Fatal Period.—From three-quarters of an hour and upwards.
Fatal Dose.—Four grains is about the smallest fatal dose of opium in an adult; but cases of recovery, where an ounce or more of laudanum has been taken, are not very rare. Children are very susceptible to opium. The smallest dose of morphine that has proved fatal to an infant is one-twelfth of a grain of the hydrochloride. Half a grain of the acetate has proved fatal to an adult, one grain of morphine or its salts has proved fatal on several occasions. With prompt treatment recovery has taken place after much larger doses, even as much as seventy-five grains.
Chemical Analysis and Tests.—These have been described on [p. 339 et seq.]
Treatment.—The stomach pump should be used without delay, and the stomach thoroughly washed out. The washing water should contain about ten to fifteen grains of permanganate of potash to the pint, and the washing repeated at short intervals, as the permanganate destroys the morphine. If the stomach tube be not at hand, the patient should be made to drink the permanganate solution if possible. This treatment should be carried out even when morphine has been administered hypodermically, as it is excreted by the stomach. Emetics should also be given if the patient can swallow; if unable to do so, a hypodermic of ⅒ grain of apomorphine may be given. The administration of strong coffee or tea, the application of ammonia to the nostrils, flagellation of the soles of the feet, and keeping the patient constantly walking about (a procedure of doubtful value) are among the measures usually adopted by way of treatment. Galvanism and artificial inflation of the lungs have done good service even in the most hopeless cases. The student is referred to some important cases recorded by Dr. Burgess and others in the Medical Press and Circular, vol. i. p. 369, for the year 1892. Dr. Burgess strongly recommends prolonged artificial respiration, the interrupted current, and the administration of stimulants, externally, internally, and hypodermically. Dr. Finny is of opinion that, while opium may be useful in cases of atropine poisoning, atropine is of little use in opium poisoning; in this opinion Dr. Burgess concurred. The state of the respiration is a better test than the condition of the pupil when atropine is used as an antidote. If the administration of atropine does not quicken the respiration it should be discontinued, and other methods tried. Vinegar should not be given, as it dissolves the morphine and renders it more easy of absorption. Death is rare in those cases in which proper remedies have been resorted to before the stage of stupor has commenced.
Synopsis of the Effects of Opium
upon the System
1. The Mental Faculties.—The first effect noticed when opium is taken in small doses is a primary exaltation of the mental faculties; the imagination is rendered brilliant, and the passions exalted; after a time drowsiness supervenes, followed by deep sleep. A dose of thirty drops of the tincture caused in one experimenter an exhilaration of the mental faculties, and an aptitude for study; the subsequent drowsiness being removed by a dose of a hundred drops or more, when the greatest mental excitement was the result.
2. The Respiration.—The frequency of the respiration is diminished, and the oxidation of the blood impaired.
3. The Pulse.—The first effect on the circulatory system is that of a stimulant, and then sedative. By the administration of repeated small doses, the force of the circulation may be maintained for some time.
4. The Eyes and Countenance.—The pupils, when the patient is powerfully under the influence of opium, are contracted even to a point. Dilatation, has, however, been noticed in some cases, especially when death approaches. In apoplexy of the pons Varolii, the pupils are contracted. The countenance is placid, pale, and ghastly; the eyes heavy, and the lips livid.
5. The Cutaneous System.—The skin, although cold, is not infrequently bathed in profuse perspiration.
6. The Alimentary Canal.—Sometimes there is vomiting and even purging; but, as a rule, the secretions along the whole alimentary canal are diminished, and constipation is the result. According to Dr. Walter Smith, of Dublin, morphine is mainly excreted into the stomach and bowels, and so cast out in the fæces. Very little goes out in the urine.
7. The Average Commencement of Symptoms.—Much depends upon the size and form of the dose. In most cases the first appearance of the symptoms is seldom delayed beyond an hour after the poison is taken.
8. The Average Period of Death.—Seven to twelve hours.
Table showing some of the Symptoms and Effects
of Opium and Belladonna
| Opium. | Belladonna. |
|---|---|
| 1. Slight excitement, coma, | 1. Active, busy delirium preceding |
| lethargy, and no return of the | the coma, followed by delirium, |
| excitement should the patient | if recovery takes place. |
| recover. | |
| 2. Coma is of shorter duration than | 2. Coma is of longer duration than |
| in poisoning by belladonna. | in poisoning by opium. |
| 3. Pupils contracted. | 3. Pupils dilated. |
| 4. Local application to the eye | 4. Dropped into the eye, the pupils |
| does not affect the pupil. | are dilated. |
| 5. Bowels as a rule confined. | 5. Bowels not affected. |
| 6. Acts powerfully on children. | 6. Well borne by children. |
Table showing the Points of Distinction between
Apoplexy and Narcotic Poisoning
Table showing the Condition of the Pupils in—
| Ordinary sleep | The eyes turned upwards; pupils contracted. |
| Chloroform narcosis | When the liquid is taken, coma; pupils |
| dilated; eyes suffused or glistening, and | |
| turned upwards. When the vapour is | |
| inhaled, pupils first contracted; when coma | |
| supervenes, dilated. | |
| Apoplexy | Pupils dilated; insensible to light. Sometimes |
| unequal. Apoplexy of pons Varolii, | |
| pupils contracted. | |
| Alcoholic coma | The pupils dilated or variable, and not affected |
| by a bright light placed before them. | |
| Poisoning by opium | Contracted in some cases to a pin‘s head; as |
| death approaches, the pupils dilate. | |
| Carbolic acid | Contracted and insensible to light. |
| Calabar bean | Powerful contraction of the pupils. |
| Hyoscyamus or atropine | Dilatation of the pupils. |
| Strychnine | In some cases the pupils, during the |
| paroxysms, are dilated, and contracted | |
| during the intermissions. | |
| Aconite | Sometimes contracted; but in 17 out of 20 |
| cases recorded by Dr. Tucker, dilatation | |
| was present. |
CHAPTER IX
DELIRIANT POISONS
Under this head will be noticed those poisons whose action on the animal economy is characterised by delirium, illusion of the senses, and marked dilatation of the pupil. In some cases there is considerable irritation of the digestive organs, accompanied with a difficulty in passing water, sometimes ending in complete suppression of urine. The mydriatic alkaloids atropine, hyoscine, hyoscyamine, daturine, duboisine, scopolamine, are practically identical in chemical composition and action, and produce similar symptoms.
The following are among the most important poisons of this group:—
- 1. Belladonna.
- 2. Hyoscyamus.
- 3. Stramonium.
- 4. Solanum Dulcamara.
- 5. Solanum Nigrum.
- 6. Solanum Tuberosum.
Those of less importance are Œnanthe crocata or Dropwort, Camphor, Salicylic Acid, and Yew—the last already described among the Vegetable Irritants.