PREFACE
TO THE FOURTH EDITION.

The author regrets that circumstances beyond his control have delayed the re-appearance of the present work beyond the period at which it was called for by the favourable reception of the last edition. He has endeavoured to take advantage of the numerous investigations which have been carried on during the interval into the several departments of Toxicology in the leading countries of Europe; and has in consequence been led to enlarge the work materially.

He trusts it may be allowed him to express his satisfaction at finding, that the rapid progress made by Toxicological science during the last eight years, while it has been productive of many important additions to our knowledge, has nevertheless not rendered any important alterations necessary either in the general principles formerly laid down in this work, or in what had been there stated as well ascertained general facts.

Edinburgh College,

November, 1844.

CONTENTS.

PART FIRST.—Of General Poisoning.
PAGE
CHAP. I.Of the Physiological Action of Poisons[9]
Section 1.Of their Mode of Action[9]
Of the Discovery of Poisons in the Blood[21]
Section 2.Of the Causes which modify their Action[27]
Application of the preceding observations to the Treatment of Poisoning[36]
CHAP. II.Of the Evidence of General Poisoning[39]
Section 1.Of the Evidence from Symptoms[42]
Characters of the Symptoms of Poisoning[42]
Characters of the Symptoms of Natural Disease[46]
Section 2.Of the Evidence from Morbid Appearances[51]
Section 3.Of the Evidence from Chemical Analysis[54]
Causes which remove Poisons beyond the reach of analysis[55]
Chemical Evidence not always indispensable to the proof of Poisoning[59]
Section 4.Evidence from Experiments on Animals[62]
With suspected articles of food or drink[63]
With vomited matter or contents of the stomach[67]
With the flesh of poisoned animals[69]
Section 5.Moral Evidence[71]
Suspicious conduct of prisoner, [73] and [78].—Proof of administration of poison, [73].—Proof of intent, [78].—Proof from simultaneous illness of several people, [80].—Proof from death-bed declaration[83]
CHAP. III.Of Imaginary, Pretended, and Imputed Poisoning[85]
PART II.—Of Individual Poisons.
CHAP. I.Classification of Poisons[90]
CHAP. II.Class First. Of Irritant Poisons generally[92]
Section 1.Of the Symptoms of Irritant Poisons compared with those of Natural Disease[93]
Section 2.Of the Morbid Appearances of Irritant Poisoning compared with those of natural disease[110]
CHAP. III.Mineral Acids[121]
Section 1.Sulphuric Acid[123]
Tests, [123], Action, [128], Morbid Appearances, [135], Treatment,[140]
Section 2.Nitric Acid[142]
Section 3.Hydrochloric Acid[146]
CHAP. IV.Phosphorus. Sulphur. Chlorine. Iodine. Iodide of Potassium. Bromine[149]
CHAP. V.Acetic Acid[164]
CHAP. VI.Oxalic Acid[167]
Section 1.Tests[168]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms in Man[173]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[177]
Section 4.Treatment[178]
Tartaric and Citric Acid[180]
CHAP. VII.Fixed Alkalis[180]
CHAP. VIII.Nitre[187]
CHAP. IX.Alkaline and Earthy Chlorides[191]
CHAP. X.Lime[192]
CHAP. XI.Ammonia and its salts[193]
CHAP. XII.Alkaline Sulphurets[196]
CHAP. XIII.Arsenic[197]
Section 1.Tests for its compounds[198]
Fly-powder[199]
Oxide of Arsenic[200]
Tests in its solid state[203]
—— a pure solution[206]
—— when in organic mixtures[215]
Arsenite of Copper[223]
—— of Potass[223]
Arseniate of Potass[224]
Sulphurets of Arsenic[224]
Arseniuretted-hydrogen[227]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms in Man[227]
Mode of Action[227]
Symptoms in ordinary cases[234]
—— very short cases[241]
—— tedious cases[244]
Effects through other channels besides the Stomach[251]
Force of the evidence from Symptoms[259]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[262]
Section 4.Treatment[283]
CHAP. XIV.Mercury[289]
Section 1.Tests for its preparations[289]
Red Precipitate[290]
Cinnabar[290]
Turbith Mineral[290]
Calomel[291]
Corrosive Sublimate[291]
—— Tests in the solid state[292]
—— solution[292]
—— organic mixtures[296]
Bicyanide of Mercury[303]
Nitrates of Mercury[303]
Section 2.Mode of Action and Symptoms[303]
Mode of Action[303]
Symptoms of Corrosive Poisoning[310]
Symptoms of Irritation and Erethysm combined[314]
Symptoms of Erethysm and Mercurial Tremor[316]
Section 2.Action on different Tissues and in different Chemical forms[327]
Force of evidence from Symptoms[336]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[337]
Section 4.Treatment[342]
CHAP. XV.Copper[345]
Section 1.Tests for its Compounds[346]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms[358]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[364]
Section 4.Treatment[365]
CHAP. XVI.Antimony[367]
Section 1.Tests for its Compounds[367]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms[371]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[376]
Section 4.Treatment[377]
CHAP. XVII.Tin, [379]—Silver, [380]—Gold, [383]—Bismuth, [383]—Chrome, [385]—Zinc, [386]—Iron, [391]—Other rarer metals, [395][378]
CHAP. XVIII.Lead[396]
Section 1.Chemical History, and Tests for its Compounds[396]
Action of Water on Lead[399]
Action of Acidulous Fluids on Lead[416]
Process for Lead in Organic Fluids[423]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms in Man[424]
Tradesmen who are apt to suffer from Lead[436]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[439]
Section 4.Treatment, and Precautions for Workmen[441]
CHAP. XIX.Baryta[446]
CHAP. XX.Vegetable Acrids, Euphorbia, Castor-oil seed, Physic-nut, Bitter Cassava, Manchineel, Croton, Bryony, Colocynth, Elaterium, Ranunculus, Anemone, Caltha, Clematis, Trollius, Mezereon, Cuckoo-pint, Gamboge, Daffodil, Jalap, Savin[451]
CHAP. XXI.Cantharides[470]
CHAP. XXII.Poisonous Fish[477]
CHAP. XXIII.Venomous Serpents and Insects[484]
CHAP. XXIV.Diseased and Decayed Animal Matter[487]
CHAP. XXV.Mechanical Irritants[501]
Substances, irritant, in large doses,—Pepper, Epsom Salt, Alum, Cream of Tartar, Sulphate of Potass, Common Salt, &c.[506]
CHAP. XXVI.Class II. Of Narcotic Poisons, [510]—of Narcotic Poisoning generally, and the distinction between it and natural disease, [511][510]
CHAP. XXVII.Opium[530]
Section 1.Chemical History and Tests[530]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms[539]
Action of Morphia and Narcotine[557]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[562]
Section 4.Treatment[566]
CHAP. XXVIII.Hyoscyamus, Lactuca, and Solanum[571]
CHAP. XXIX.Hydrocyanic Acid[577]
Section 1.Tests[578]
Section 2.Action and Symptoms[582]
Section 3.Morbid Appearances[593]
Section 4.Treatment[596]
Of the Vegetable Substances which contain Hydrocyanic Acid, [600]—Bitter Almond, [601]—Cherry-laurel, [605]—Peach, [608]—Cluster-cherry, [608]—Mountain-ash,[608]
CHAP. XXX.Carbazotic Acid[610]
CHAP. XXXI.Poisonous Gases[611]
What Gases are Poisonous[612]
Effects on Man of Nitric Oxide Gas, [615]—Chlorine, [616]—Ammonia, [617]—Hydrochloric Acid, [617]—Hydrosulphuric Acid, [617]—Carburetted hydrogen, [622]—Carbonic Acid, [624]—Carbonic Oxide, [634]—Nitrous Oxide, [635]—Cyanogen, [636]—Oxygen,[636]
CHAP. XXXII.Class III. Narcotico-Acrid Poisons[637]
CHAP. XXXIII.Nightshade, [639]—Thorn-Apple, [644]—Tobacco, [647][639]
CHAP. XXXIV.Hemlock, [653]—Water-hemlock, [657]—Hemlock Dropwort, [658]—Fool’s Parsley, [661][653]
CHAP. XXXV.Monkshood, [662]—Black Hellebore, [670][662]
CHAP. XXXVI.Squill, [671]—White Hellebore and Cevadilla, [672]—Meadow-Saffron, [674]—Foxglove, [678]—Rue, [681]—Ipecacuan, [682][671]
CHAP. XXXVII.Strychnia, [683]—Nux Vomica, [686]—St. Ignatius’ Bean, [691]—False Angustura, [692][682]
CHAP. XXXVIII.Camphor, [694]—Cocculus Indicus, [696]—Upas Antiar, [698]—Coriaria myrtifolia, [698]—Yew, [699][694]
CHAP. XXXIX.Poisonous Fungi, [700]—wholesome and poisonous kinds, [701]—qualities how modified, [701]—poisonous principles of, [704]—effects on man, [704]—Poisonous Mosses, [710][700]
CHAP. XL.Poisonous Grain, [710]—Spurred rye, [711]—Spurred maize, [718]—rust of wheat, [719]—unripe grain, [719]—Darnel-grass, [721]—Leguminous seeds, [722][710]
CHAP. XLI.Alcohol, [725]—symptoms in man, [725]—morbid appearances, [731]—treatment, [735]—ether, [736]—Empyreumatic Oils, [736][725]
CHAP. XLII.Compound Poisoning[740]
Index[745]
Description of Plate[755], [756]

PART FIRST.
OF GENERAL POISONING.