Potassa cum Calce.
This is a mixture of the preceding substance with lime, which is added with a view to diminish the deliquescent property of the alkali, and thus to render it more manageable as an escharotic. There will be no difficulty in separating these ingredients. Their different solubilities will furnish an easy mode of effecting it to a certain extent, and we may then precipitate the remaining portion of lime, by carbonic acid.
Sub-carbonate of Potass—Salt of Tartar—Pearl-ash—Potash.
Although potass becomes comparatively mild, by its union with carbonic acid; yet the present preparation retains so much causticity as to render it poisonous, if administered in any considerable dose. Plenck reports a case of this kind, where a patient having swallowed an ounce of salt of tartar, was shortly afterwards seized with a violent vomiting, which continued for forty-eight hours, followed by a violent inflammation of the stomach; from which, however, he ultimately recovered.
Symptoms of Poisoning by any of the above preparations of Potass.
A styptic, urinous, and caustic taste; a severe heat in the throat; violent vomiting, generally of alkaline matter, turning the syrups of violets green, and where the alkali has been in the state of carbonate, effervescing with acids; sometimes the matter thus ejected is mixed with blood; copious alvine evacuations; severe pain in the epigastric region; excruciating tormina of the bowels; depravation of the intellectual faculties, and death. It will be easily perceived that the above symptoms merely indicate the operation of a corrosive poison. They offer no characteristic peculiarities which can enable us to decide upon the particular substance that has been swallowed, unless, indeed, the matter vomited can be submitted to examination.
Antidotes.
From the experiments of Orfila, it appears that vinegar, diluted with water, is the remedy which can be administered with the greatest success, where any preparation of this alkali has been swallowed in a poisonous dose.
Organic lesions discovered on dissection.
In consequence of the peculiar action of this alkali upon animal matter, we shall generally find the stomach perforated, and its coats extensively dissolved. We shall moreover discover the usual indications of violent inflammation in this viscus, as well as in the intestines.