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.

    214/248 page 186
    Symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, violent griping and hypercatharsis, rapid sinking of the pulse, and cold sweats. Morbid Appearances. Slight inflammation of the stomach and intes- tines ; but the effect is chiefly produced by the action of the poison on the nervous system. Test. None. Treatment. Evacuate the stomach by bland demulcent fluids taken in large doses ; then exhibit opium in small doses, with cordials. MONKSHOOD. (Aconiti, folia, flores, et semina.) An acro-narcotic poison. Symptoms. Vomiting, or attempts to vomit, heat in the throat, and frequent attempts to swallow, the patient frequently putting his hands to his throat; perfc ct consciousness and intelligence until just before death ; diminution of muscular power, but still ability to walk about until within a few minutes of death ; disordered vision, and contracted pupil; hypercatharsis; bloody stools; collapse; generally no convul- sions. Morbid Appearances. Iutense congestion of brain ; very slight appear- ances of inflammation in the stomach, livid blotches appear on the body: the mind suffers; indeed, its effects appear to depend alto- gether on its action on the nervous system. Test. None. Treatment. Evacuate the substance from the stomach, and then ad- minister freely acidulous fluids and cordials. External warmth, sinapisms. MORPHIA—ACETATE OF—HYDROCHLORATE OF. (Mor- phice Acetas et Hydrochloras.) Symptoms. Morphia in poisonous doses causes nearly the same symptoms as opium ; the acetate, and hydrochlorate. in doses of three to six grains, cause headache, vertigo, dimness of sight, contraction of the pupils, vomiting, colic, diarrhoea succeeded by obstinate costiveness, retention of urine, great itching of the skin, sometimes accompanied with a papular eruption and profuse sweats, convulsions, sometimes of a tetanic, sometimes of an epileptic character. The acetate, in particular, causes tetanic twitching resembling electric shocks. This is not a fatal symptom ; but in these large doses the symptoms of this poison terminate in death. Morbid Appearances. An injected state of the mucous membrane, and of the membranes of the brain, especially in the anterior part of the head. Tests. Nitric acid tinges morphia and its salts red; to iodate of potassa, dissolved in water, add a drop of sulphuric add and then some starch, and, when the mixture is cold, sprinkle the suspected morphia or its salt in it; if morphia be present, blue iodide of amidine will be formed. Iodic acid is said to discover morphia by the power which the latter has of decomposing it and setting the iodine free: but Mr. Davidson has discovered that albuminous fluids are equally capable of de- composing the iodic acid—thence it cannot be regarded as a test of morphia. Treatment. The same as in poisoning bv opium. MURIATIC (HYDROCHLORIC) ACID. (Acidum Hydnchlori- cum.) A corrosive mineral poison. Symptoms. Sensation of burning in the throat, the oesophagus, and the stomach; styptic taste in the mouth: great thirst; the eyes red aud sparkling; the pulse very frequent and tense; and the skin hot and dry; the tongue red and glazed; the lips black ; vomiting of blood and yellow matter, having the pungent odour of the acid: cold sweats, delirium and death. These are also the symptoms attending poison- ing by any of the mineral acids, but it is said by Orfila, that when hydrochloric acid is the poison, a thick white fume, of a sharp pene- trating odour, similar to that exhaled by the acid, issues from the mouth.
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