to be genuine gave only 2·75 per cent.[1] It is probably therefore a weaker poison than the oil of bitter almond. The latest experiments made with this oil are those of some Florentine physicians, performed at the laboratory of the Marquess Rodolphi, and described by Professor Taddei.[2] Sixteen drops put on the tongue of rabbits killed them in nine, fifteen, or twenty minutes; and ten or twelve drops injected in oil into the anus killed them in four minutes. The symptoms were slow breathing, palsy of the hind-legs, then general convulsions; and death was preceded by complete coma. A very extraordinary appearance was found in the dead body,—blood extravasated abundantly in the trachea and lungs.
The cherry-laurel water, prepared by distillation from the leaves of this plant, was long the most important of the poisons which contain the hydrocyanic acid, as it was the most common before the introduction of the acid itself into medical practice. Water dissolves by agitation 3·25 grains of oil per ounce; which may be considered the proportion in a saturated distilled water. The water contains, according to Schubarth, only 0·25 per cent. of hydrocyanic acid;[3] according to Schrader[4] only half as much; and by long keeping even that small proportion will gradually disappear, as I have ascertained by experiment. Hence its strength must vary greatly,—a fact which will explain the very different effects of the same dose in different instances.
From experiments on animals by a great number of observers, it appears that, whether it is introduced into the stomach, or into the anus, or into the cellular tissue, or directly into a vein, it occasions giddiness, palsy, insensibility, convulsions, coma, and speedy death;—that the tetanic state brought on by the pure acid, is not always so distinctly caused by cherry-laurel water;—and that tetanus is most frequently induced by medium doses.
The attention of physicians was first called to this poison by an account, published by Dr. Madden in the Philosophical Transactions for 1737, of several accidents which occurred at Dublin in consequence of strong ratifia'd brandy having been prepared with it. Foderé has also given an account of two cases, caused by servants having stolen and drunk a bottle of it, which they mistook for a cordial.[5] Being afraid of detection, they swallowed it quickly, and in a few minutes expired in convulsions. Murray has noticed several others in his Apparatus Medicaminum.[6] In most of these cases the individuals suddenly lost their speech, fell down insensible, and died in a few minutes. Convulsions do not appear to have been frequent. Coullon has also related an instance where a child seems to have been killed by the leaves applied to a large sore on the neck.[7]
- ↑ Rust's Magazin für die gesammte Heilk. xxxii. 497.
- ↑ Bericht über einige Versuche über die Wirkung des Oleum Essentiale Laurocerasi.—Hufeland's Journal der Praktischen Heilkunde, liv. iii. 27.
- ↑ Bemerkungen, &c. Journal der Praktischen Heilkunde, li. i. 125.
- ↑ Fechner's Repertorium der Org. Chemie, ii. 65.
- ↑ Médecine Légale, iv. 27.
- ↑ Apparatus Medicaminum, iii. 216.
- ↑ Recherches, &c. p. 95.
