Volume 2

A general system of toxicology : or, a treatise on poisons, found in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, considered in their relations with physiology, pathology, and medical jurisprudence / by M.P. [sic] Orfila.

  • Orfila, Matthieu Joseph Bonaventure, 1787-1853.
Date:
1816-17
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A general system of toxicology : or, a treatise on poisons, found in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, considered in their relations with physiology, pathology, and medical jurisprudence / by M.P. [sic] Orfila. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    physical and moral circumstances that may throw light upon it. Thus, for instance, he should examine whether the disease, which is the subject of his researches, does not depend rather on the bad constitution of the patient than on the slow action of a poisonous substance ; whether it does not belong to some hereditary or other organic affection: he should pay attention to the prevailing diseases, epidemic or endemic; to any incon- siderate habit of taking medicines, and especially purgatives; to the abuse of bleeding; to violent exercise, or any other error in the patient's way of living; to the violence of the pas- sions; to the valetudinary, hypochondriacal, and melancholy state of certain persons, &c. ARTICLE II. Of Accidents consecutive to Acute Poisoning. 1083. It often happens, that persons who have been poison- ed by any energetic poisonous substance, experience the most grievous symptoms, which are not however succeeded by a sudden death. The state of these patients improves for a few days; but in a short time severe symptoms take place, which may be more or less prolonged, and which generally terminate fatally. We shall relate some observations on this subject. Observations. J St. Marie Ladan, fifty-three years of age, drank about a spoonful of aqua fortis, thinking it to be common water. She very quickly threw up by vomiting the greatest part of it. Immediately after, came on hiccup, copious eructations, nauseas, repeated vomitings. Half an hour after, she was bled in the arm, and mucilage of gum arabic was given her, and milk. The first symptoms subsided by degrees; but an excessively obstinate constipation, with which she was tormented