Per cent.
Phosphorus,1·5
Lard,18·4
Sugar,18·4
Flour,61·7
100·00
Per cent.
Phosphorus,1·2
Warm water,26·7
Rye flour,26·7
Melted butter,26·7
Sugar,18·7
100·00
Per cent.
Phosphorus,1·6
Nut oil,15·7
Warm water,31·5
Flour,31·5
Sugar,19·7
100·00

A very common phosphorus paste, to be bought everywhere in England, is sold in little pots; the whole amount of phosphorus contained in these varies from ·324 to ·388 grm. (5 to 6 grains), the active constituent being a little over 4 per cent. Matches differ much in composition. Six matchheads, which had been placed in an apple for criminal purposes, and were submitted to Tardieu, were found to contain 20 mgrms. of phosphorus—i.e., ·33 grm. in 100. Mayet found in 100 matches 55 mgrms. of phosphorus. Gonning[276] analysed ten different kinds of phosphorus matches with the following result:—Three English samples contained in 100 matches 34, 33, and 32 mgrms. of phosphorus: a Belgian sample, 38 mgrms.; and 5 others of unknown origin, 12, 17, 28, 32, and 41 mgrms. respectively. Some of the published formularies are as follows:—

[276] Nederlandsch Tijdschr. voor Geneesk., Afl. i., 1866.

(1.)Glue,6parts.
Phosphorus,4„or 14·4 per cent.
Nitre,10„
Red ochre,5„
Blue smalts,2„
(2.)Phosphorus,9parts,or 16·3 per cent.
Gum,16„
Nitre,14„
Smalts,16„
(3.)Phosphorus,4parts,or 14·4 per cent.
Glue,6„
Nitre,10„
Red lead,5„
Smalts,2„
(4.)Phosphorus,17parts,or 17 per cent.
Glue,21„
Nitre,38„
Red lead,24„

Phosphorus poisoning by matches will, however, shortly become very rare, for those containing the ordinary variety of phosphorus are gradually being superseded by matches of excellent quality, which contain no phosphorus whatever.

§ 276. Statistics.—The following table gives the deaths for ten years from phosphorus poisoning in England and Wales:—

DEATHS FROM PHOSPHORUS IN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE TEN YEARS ENDING 1892.