Thomson's Conspectus of the British pharmacopoeias.

  • Anthony Todd Thomson
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Thomson's Conspectus of the British pharmacopoeias. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    207/248 page 179
    CHLORIDE OF BARIUM. (Barii Chloridum.) An acrid poison. Symptoms. Sensation of burning in the stomach, vomitings, headache, deafness, convulsions, death. Tests. Soluble in water; the solution precipitates nitrate of silver white, sulphuric acid and the sulphates also white; the precipitates are insoluble in water and nitric acid. If it be contained in wine, test as for the aqueous solution; and, also, if the stomach is to be examined. Treatment. Sulphate of soda, or of magnesia, in solution freely ad- ministered ; then empty the stomach by an emetic, and afterwards administer opium. - CHLORINE GAS. An acrid poison. Symptoms. Severe constriction of the glottis, cough, sensation of suffo- cation alternating with asphyxia ; afterwards, if death do not ensue, inflammation of the larynx, and pneumonic inflammation. Treatment. Inhalation of the vapour of hot water containing carbonate of ammonia. Bleeding, the antiphlogistic treatment, especially by mercurials. CHLOROFORM. (CHLOROFORMYL.) Chloroform. Narcotic Poison. Symptoms. Chloroform gives rise to vomiting, headache, convulsions, anaesthesia, unconsciousness, and, at times, fatal depression and pros- tration. It has been attempted to apply it to passengers in the street; but if the person be sober and compos mentis, the danger is slight. The deaths which have occurred, have been in cases where it has been used as a remedy. Morbid Appearances. Congestion of lungs and large vessels of the heart. Treatment. Death has been in most cases so sudden as to preclude the possibility of using any remedies. The best restorative is atmo- spheric air. Ammonia may be applied to the nostrils, the cold douche to the head, and even artificial respiration may be had recourse to; but no stimulants should be given. COCCULUS INDICUS. (Anamictce CoccuMfructus.) Anacro-nar- cotic vegetable poison, deriving its poisonous powers from picrotoxin. Symptoms. These closely resemble those of intoxication from ardent spirits. Morbid Appearances. There is no instance of the examination of a human body destroyed by this poison on record. Test. That this poison has been the cause of death, or of powerfully deleterious effects on the human body, cannot be ascertained by any test. The fruit is externally blackish, about the size of a pea, whitish within, and has a very bitter taste, not easily removed from the palate. Treatment. Encourage vomiting, and purge freely; bleed if the pulse indicate it, or if symptoms resembling apoplexy supervene. COLCHICUM. See Meadow Saffron. COLOQUINTIDA. (Fructus Cucumeris Colocynthidis.) An acrid vegetable poison. Symptoms. Violent pains in the epigastrium, with vomiting and purging, the stools being mixed with blood. The sight soon becomes obscured, and this state is succeeded by vertigo and delirium. Morbid Appearances. When death has occurred from this poison, the stomach and bowels have been found inflamed, particularly the rectum. Test. A strong infusion of coloquintida gelatinises as it cools, resembling in appearance mucilage of quince seed; but it has a very bitter, nauseous taste. Solution of potassa renders it greenish, and throws down a precipitate; ammonia dissolves the mucilage. But no test can be relied on; the only certainty that this poison has been taken is the seeing the substance itself. Treatment. Emetics to evacuate the whole of the deleterious substance %
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