Two cases of fatal poisoning by arsenious acid : with remarks on the solubility of that poison in water and other menstrua / by Mr. Alfred S. Taylor.

  • Taylor, Alfred Swaine, 1806-1880.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Two cases of fatal poisoning by arsenious acid : with remarks on the solubility of that poison in water and other menstrua / by Mr. Alfred S. Taylor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    mixture, consisting of equal parts of oil and lime-water, was, however, thrown into the stomach, by means of the stomach-pump. This was for the purpose of enveloping any residuary particles of poison, and sheathing the coats of the orsran from their influence. The stomach was first well washed out with tliis mixture; and then about three ounces of it, mixed with forty drops of tincture of opium, were in- jected into the organ, and allowed to remain there. She was seen the following morning, at half-past one : she then complained of great thirst, but there was no in- crease of pain in the stomach. Her tongue was dry, and red: * her extremities had become warm: there was no pain in the head. The heart was acting rapidly, but feebly; the pulse being about 132, small and feeble. After this, she obtained some rest for about an hour and a half; but she then be- came extremely restless, repeatedly calling for liquids. The thirst continued unabated until her death, which took place at a quarter past seven in the morning, a little more than fifteen hours after having taken the poison. Just before her death, her parents came to see her: she was then very restless, but perfectly sensible. She had sat up in bed, and was in the act of drinking ; when she suddenly had a slight convulsive fit, and almost instantly died. The body was examined by Mr. King about eight hours after death. The thoracic viscera presented no appearances calling for notice ; but the lining membrane of the bronchia? was rather dark in colour, and congested. On opening the abdomen, and exposing the cavity of the stomach, this organ was found to contain a dirty yellow- coloured liquid, somewhat tenacious, and holding, diffused through it, opaque grains of a white matter, evidently arse- nic. Particles of the same substance, enveloped in mucus, were found scattered over the surface of the mucous mem- brane, in different parts. The appearances presented by the stomach, when seen and examined shortly after its removal, were as follows *. The mucous membrane was very rugose, * A wax model of the stomach, representing very perfectly the morbid changes observed in it, has been made by Mr. Town. It is placed in the Museum, and numbered 2772°.