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
A surgeon prescribed for two joiners who suffered from scabies a lotion,
which was intended to contain 30 grms. of carbolic acid in 240 c.c. of
water; but the actual contents of the flasks were afterwards from
analysis estimated by Hoppe-Seyler to be 33·26 grms., and the quantity
used by each to be equal to 13·37 grms. (206 grains) of carbolic acid.
One of the men died; the survivor described his own symptoms as
follows:--He and his companion stood in front of the fire, and rubbed
the lotion in; he rubbed it into his legs, breast, and the front part of
his body; the other parts were mutually rubbed. Whilst rubbing his right
arm, and drying it before the fire, he felt a burning sensation, a
tightness and giddiness, and mentioned his sensations to his companion,
who laughed. This condition lasted from five to seven minutes, but he
did not remember whether his companion complained of anything, nor did
he know what became of him, nor how he himself came to be in bed. He was
found holding on to the joiner’s bench, looking with wide staring eyes,
like a drunken man, and was delirious for half an hour. The following
night he slept uneasily and complained of headache and burning of the
skin. The pulse was 68, the appearance of the urine, appetite, and sense
of taste were normal; the bowels confined. He soon recovered.
The other joiner seems to have died as suddenly as if he had taken
prussic acid. He called to his mother, “_Ich habe einen Rausch_,” and
died with pale livid face, after taking two deep, short inspirations.
The _post-mortem_ examination showed the sinuses filled with much fluid
blood, and the vessels of the pia mater congested. Frothy, dark, fluid
blood was found in the lungs, which were hyperæmic; the mucous tissues
of the epiglottis and air-tubes were reddened, and covered with a frothy
slime. Both ventricles--the venæ cavæ and the vessels of the spleen and
kidneys--were filled with dark fluid blood. The muscles were very red;
there was no special odour. Hoppe-Seyler recognised carbolic acid in the
blood and different organs of the body.[200]
[200] R. Köhler, _Würtem. Med. Corr. Bl._, xlii., No. 6, April 1872; H.
Abelin, _Schmidt’s Jahrbücher_, 1877, Bd. 173, S. 163.
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