XXXVIII.—SULPHONAL, TRIONAL, TETRONAL, VERONAL, PARALDEHYDE
These are dangerous drugs. The ordinary symptoms of the group are noises in the ears, headache, vertigo, inability to stand or to walk properly, insensibility, and cyanosis.
The most interesting point is the condition of the urine. In cases of poisoning it is dark or reddish-brown in colour, due to the presence of hæmatoporphyrin. It contains albumin and casts, but no red corpuscles. In cases of hæmatoporphyrinuria the prognosis is bad, and it is said that these cases invariably end fatally.
Treatment.—In an ordinary case emetics, strong coffee, hypodermic injections of strychnine, saline injections, and transfusion.
Cases of chronic poisoning from the 'als' are not uncommon, and are increasing in frequency. Hypnogen is apparently identical with veronal.
All the above-named aniline derivatives are included in Part I. of the scheduled poisons.
XXXIX.—CONIUM AND CALABAR BEAN
Conium Maculatum (Spotted Hemlock).—All parts of the plant are poisonous, often mistaken for parsley. Contains the poisonous principle coniine, a volatile liquid alkaloid with a mousy smell; insoluble in water; soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. It also contains methyl coniine.