Treatise on Poisons: In relation to medical jurisprudence, physiology, and the practice of physicChristison, Robert, Sir
Science
Treatise on Poisons: In relation to medical jurisprudence, physiology, and the practice of physic
Christison, Robert, Sir
Medical jurisprudence; Toxicology
This method answers very well for ordinary cases where the quantity of
arsenic is not extremely minute. But I have met with instances in
medico-legal practice where the process of Reinsch, as well as that of
Marsh, succeeded in detecting the poison in sources to which the method
by hydrosulphuric acid had been applied without avail; because
apparently the organic matter existing in solution prevented the action
of the gas, or, as Orfila thinks, because boiling water will not in all
circumstances remove oxide of arsenic from the textures of the animal
body which are impregnated with it. In particular I doubt whether this
method is sufficiently delicate to detect arsenic in those organs and
textures into which it has been conveyed in cases of poisoning through
absorption into the blood.—Another objection is its tediousness. The
first filtration, if the substance to be examined be the stomach or its
contents, may take two days; and one way or another the analysis can
seldom be completed within four days. Reinsch’s process may be brought
to a conclusion in two hours or less, even in the most difficult
circumstances.
b. The last process to be mentioned, is one based, like the previous
one, upon the precipitation of arsenic in the form of sulphuret, but
with very material modifications, the purpose of which is to enable the
analyst to separate the whole arsenic in a state of purity, so as to
ascertain the exact amount of the poison in the mixture. This method has
been recently proposed by Drs. Fresenius and von Babo.[534]
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