Fatal Period.—From five hours to several days.
Treatment.—The stomach should be washed out through the syphon tube. Venæsection may be useful, with subsequent transfusion of fresh blood. The nephritis and other symptoms must be treated generally.
Post-mortem Appearances.—The mucous membrane of the stomach may be inflamed and submucous hæmorrhages may be found. The blood is chocolate in colour and gives the spectrum of methæmoglobin. The spleen is enlarged and chocolate-coloured, and the kidneys acutely inflamed.
Chemical Analysis.—Chlorate of potash may be separated from organic material by dialysis.
1. If to a solution of the salt a few drops of indigo sulphate be added, and then a few drops of strong sulphuric acid, the indigo-blue is bleached.
2. If a small crystal of the chlorate be heated in a test tube with a drop of strong sulphuric acid, it explodes with detonation.
BARIUM
The chloride, nitrate, and carbonate of barium are all irritant poisons. But besides their irritant action, the salts of barium also appear to act on the nervous system and the heart, arresting its action in systole. The symptoms, post-mortem appearances, and treatment are the same as for the other irritant poisons. Sulphate of magnesia, or other soluble sulphate, should be given to form an insoluble sulphate of baryta. Sulphate of barium is also used like bismuth carbonate for radiography.
Chemical Analysis.—Sulphuric acid or alkaline sulphate gives a white precipitate with solution of chloride of baryta, insoluble in nitric acid. The salts impart to flame a greenish-yellow colour. The chlorine is detected by nitrate of silver. Dissolve the carbonate in hydrochloric acid, and test as above.