Poisons, Their Effects and Detection: A Manual for the Use of Analytical Chemists and ExpertsBlyth, Alexander Wynter
Science
Poisons, Their Effects and Detection: A Manual for the Use of Analytical Chemists and Experts
Blyth, Alexander Wynter
Poisons
It must be always borne in mind that, with regard to statistics
generally, the term “carbolic acid” is not used by coroners, juries, or
medical men, in a strictly chemical sense, the term being made to
include disinfecting fluids which are almost wholly composed of the
cresols, and contain scarcely any phenol. In this article, with regard
to symptoms and pathological appearances, it is only occasionally
possible to state whether the pure medicinal crystalline phenol or a
mixture of tar-acids was the cause of poisoning.
§ 220. =Fatal Dose.=--The minimum fatal dose for cats, dogs, and
rabbits, appears to be from ·4 to ·5 grm. per kilogram. Falck has put
the minimum lethal dose for man at 15 grms. (231·5 grains), which would
be about ·2 per kilo., basing his estimate on the following reasoning.
In 33 cases he had a fairly exact record of the amount of acid taken,
and out of the 33, he selects only those cases which are of use for the
decision of the question. Among adults, in 5 cases the dose was 30
grms., and all the 5 cases terminated by death, in times varying from
five minutes to an hour and a half. By other 5 adults a dose of 15 grms.
was taken; of the 5, 3 men and a woman died, in times varying from
forty-five minutes to thirty hours, while 1 woman recovered. Doses of
11·5, 10·8, and 9 grms. were taken by different men, and recovered from;
on the other hand, a suicide who took one and a half teaspoonful (about
6 grms.) of the concentrated acid, died in fifty minutes. Doses of ·3 to
3 grms. have caused symptoms of poisoning, but the patients recovered,
while higher doses than 15 grms. in 12 cases, with only one exception,
caused death. Hence, it may be considered tolerably well established,
that 15 grms. (231·5 grains) may be taken as representing the minimum
lethal dose.
The largest dose from which a person appears to have recovered is, I
believe, that given in a case recorded by Davidson, in which 150 grms.
of crude carbolic acid had been taken. It must, however, be remembered
that, as this was the impure acid, probably only half of it was really
carbolic acid. The German Pharmacopœia prescribes as a maximum dose ·05
grm (·7 grain) of the crystallised acid, and a daily maximum quantity
given in divided doses of ·15 grm. (2·3 grains).
§ 221. =Effects on Animals.=--Carbolic acid is poisonous to both animal
and vegetable life.
=Infusoria.=--One part of the acid in 10,000 parts of water rapidly
kills ciliated animalcules,--the movements become sluggish, the sarcode
substance darker, and the cilia in a little time cease moving.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account