Medical jurisprudence / by Alfred S. Taylor ; edited with notes and additions by R. Egglesfield Griffith.
- Taylor, Alfred Swaine, 1806-1880.
- Date:
- 1845
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medical jurisprudence / by Alfred S. Taylor ; edited with notes and additions by R. Egglesfield Griffith. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![larger end of the stomach wa3 found to be much inflamed. The appearance was very like that produced by the common mineral irritants, although it was more confined to one part of the mucous membrane. [As the laws of most, if not of all the states use the word poison, without defining it, a medical witness is liable to be called upon to declare whether certain substances are or are not, to be considered as poisons; in some instance?, as may be s 'en, this is extremely difficult; were our laws so modified as to define the crime of poisoning, to be the adminis- tration of any destructive article with an intent to kill, there would be but little ambi- guity, but as the statutes now stand, it is almost impossible to decide what are to be regarded as poisons: thus whilst a death by the administration of one of the mineral acids, is without hesitation considered as by poison; it is extremely doubtful whether a mur- der by pouring boiling water into the mouth, would be so ruled, and yet the injuries causing death, are essentially the same in both instances, each acting as a mechanical irritant. So also, when a person throws sulphuric acid on another, and death is the result, is it to be regarded as a case of death by poison? the substance employed is admitted to be a poison, when given internally, would it be so, when applied externally. The defini- tion of a poison in the text, is a modification of that given by Devergie, (Med. Leg. II. 430,) and though better than that of most authors, is deficient in not including poisons acting externally; now, it is well known that many of the admitted poisons are capable of inducing death when applied to the surface, as for instance, arsenic, strychnia, &c. The following will include almost all cases that can occur: A poison is a substance which when taken internally, or applied to the surface of the body, is capable of destroying life, without acting in a purely mechanical manner.—G.] CHAPTER II. THE MODE OF ACTION OF POISONS.-THE CAUSE OF DEATH. In investigating the phenomena which attend the operation of poisons, we are led to inquire into the mode in which they affect the body and cause death. This inquiry is highly interesting in a physiological and pathological view; but it is not of much importance to a medical jurist. In the generality of cases, all that the law requires to be established by medical evidence is that the substance taken was adequate to cause death. Nevertheless, in a recent case of poisoning by opium, a medical witness was specially examined by the court, as to the mode in which this drue was supposed to cause death; and in other instances, questions of a similar import have been put with respect to other poisons. This is sufficient to justify the introduction of a few remarks on the subject in this place. Poisons have either a local or remote action upon the system; and in the greater number of cases, both of these actions are manifested by the same substance. Local ACTiON.-The local action of poisons is most strikingly seen in those sur> stances which are of a corrosive nature such as the mineral ae'dusandflk?t,;eh.^ chemical change is induced by these agents in the structure of the part w.th which they come in contact, whether it be on the outside or inside of the body and should the disorganization produced, be very extensive, death will ake, place,as in any other case of mechanical lesion to a vital organ. If the individual^suivive the first effects, and the poison be not neutralized or removed from the stomach, the local irritation produced may give rise to inflammation, with ulceration, gan-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21158034_0025.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
