Symptoms (more or less common to all).—Nausea, vomiting, hurried respiration, marked cyanosis, syncope. Persistent sneezing and widespread urticaria may be present; collapse.
Aniline is an oily liquid, heavier than, and not soluble in, water. It is colourless or reddish-brown; it has a peculiar tar-like odour; it is soluble in alcohol, and forms a soluble sulphate with sulphuric acid. A solution of bleaching-powder gives with solution of the sulphate a purple colour changing to red-brown.
Symptoms.—Nausea, vomiting, giddiness, intoxication, drowsiness, gasping for breath, feeble pulse, and marked cyanosis. In its industrial use it may act as a poison either by inhalation of the fumes or by absorption through the skin. The symptoms then are mainly those of peripheral neuritis with blindness.
Fatal Dose.—About 6 drachms.
Treatment.—Wash out stomach; stimulants, artificial respiration, inhalation of oxygen, transfusion.
Nitro-benzol (Artificial Oil of Bitter Almonds).—It is used in perfumery, but is very poisonous when swallowed, or inhaled, or absorbed through skin. It is used in the manufacture of aniline dyes, and may act as an industrial poison. The symptoms closely resemble those of aniline poisoning, but there is perhaps greater mental confusion.
Fatal Dose.—Eight to ten drops have caused death.
Treatment.—Emetics, stimulants, transfusion of saline or blood, pituitrin, strychnine, or digitalin hypodermically.
Nitroglycerine gives rise to intense and persistent headache ('powder headache'). Throbbing and pulsation of all the arteries in the body; flushing of the face and collapse may follow.
Dinitrobenzene causes symptoms resembling nitro-benzol poisoning, and when acting as a chronic poison gives rise to weakness, jaundice, peripheral neuritis.