after it; and that a drachm and a half thrust in small fragments under the skin occasioned death in thirteen hours with coma and extensive inflammation of the cellular tissue.[1] There can be no doubt, therefore, that liver of sulphur is a true narcotic acrid poison.—It is absorbed, and may be detected in the blood, liver, kidneys, and urine by Orfila's process.[2]
Orfila has collected three cases of poisoning in the human subject with this substance;[3] and a fourth has been related by M. Cayol.[4] Of these cases two proved fatal in less than fifteen minutes; and the symptoms were acrid taste, slight vomiting, mortal faintness, and convulsions, with an important chemical sign, the tainting of the air with the odour of sulphuretted-hydrogen. The dose in one case was about three drachms. The two other patients, who recovered, were for some days dangerously ill. The symptoms were burning pain and constriction in the throat, gullet, and stomach; frequent vomiting, at first sulphureous, afterwards sanguinolent; purging, at first sulphureous; sulphureous exhalations from the mouth; pulse at first quick and strong, afterwards feeble, fluttering, and almost imperceptible; in one case sopor; finally severe inflammation of the gullet, stomach and intestines, which abated in three days. One of these patients took four drachms of sulphuret of soda, the other two ounces of sulphuret of potass; but it is probable, that the latter dose was partly decomposed by long keeping.
Morbid Appearances.—The morbid appearances in the two fatal cases were great lividity of the face and extremities, and exhaustion of muscular contractility immediately after death; the stomach was red internally, and lined with sulphur; the duodenum also red; the lungs soft, gorged with black fluid blood, and not crepitant.
Treatment.—The most appropriate treatment consists in the instant administration of any diluent, then of frequent doses of the chloride of soda, and lastly the antiphlogistic mode of subduing inflammation. The chloride of soda or lime decomposes sulphuretted hydrogen, the disengagement of which is the probable cause of death in the quickly fatal cases.[5]
CHAPTER XIII.
OF POISONING WITH ARSENIC.
The third order of the irritant class of poisons includes the compounds
of the metals. These are of great importance to the medical
jurist. They are frequently used for criminal purposes; they give
rise to the greatest variety of symptoms; and the medical evidence
