I am far from desiring to encourage rashness of decision, or to revive the loose criterions of poisoning relied on in former times. But there cannot, in my opinion, be a rational doubt that in the instance of sulphuric acid there may often be distinct exceptions to the general law regarding the feebleness of the evidence from morbid appearances; and that a witness would certainly be guilty of thwarting the administration of justice, if, relying on general rules, he refused to admit such exceptions. What natural disease could produce appearances like those described above? Assuredly no form of spontaneous perforation bears any resemblance to that caused in most cases of death from sulphuric acid; nor is it easy to mention any combination of natural diseases which could produce the peculiar conjunction of appearances remarked in the case of the man Humphrey. SECTION IV.—_Of the Treatment of Poisoning with Sulphuric Acid._ Since this acid and the other mineral acids act entirely as local irritants, it may be inferred that their poisonous action will be prevented by neutralizing them. But in applying that principle to the treatment it is necessary to bear in mind their extremely rapid operation; for if much time is lost in seeking for an antidote, irreparable mischief may be caused before the remedy is taken. Should it be possible then to administer chalk or magnesia without delay, these are the antidotes which ought to be preferred; but it may be well for the physician to remember, that in the absence of both he may at once procure a substitute in the plaster of the apartment beat down and made into thin paste with water. M. Chevallier, in a paper on the antidotes for the mineral acids, quotes five cases of poisoning with sulphuric acid and two with nitric acid, where life seems to have been saved by the speedy and free administration of magnesia, although in some cases so large a quantity as two ounces of the poison had been swallowed.[299]—A solution of soap is another antidote of no small value. While the antidote is in preparation, the acid should be diluted by the free use of any mild fluid, such as milk or oleaginous matters.—The alkaline bicarbonates are also excellent antidotes; but their carbonates are ineligible, being themselves possessed of corrosive properties. In a paper on poisoning with the mineral acids by Dr. Lunding of Copenhagen, the author is disposed to ascribe the large proportion of deaths in his practice to the system pursued in the Copenhagen hospital of administering carbonate of potass as an antidote daily for weeks together.[300] On the other hand however it may be mentioned, that in a late memoir, on this description of poisoning Dr. Ebers of Breslau endeavours to show, that there is no reason to dread the administration of the alkaline carbonates, even the carbonate of potash, provided they be given with mucilaginous fluids and syrup in a rather concentrated form; and he gives three cases illustrative of the