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.

    217/248 page 189
    membrane of the stomach, which has been occasionally found per- forated. The evidences of inflammation extend throughout the in- testinal canal. Test. The form of its crystals, if any of the salt remain, instantly dis- tinguishes nitre from sulphate of soda; but, if it be in powder, it may be known by deflagrating when it is thrown upon hot coals, and by giving out nitrous acid fumes when hot sulphuric acid is poured on it. If the salt be in solution, throw upon the surface some crystals of morphia, and pour into the fluid a little sulphuric acid; if nitre be present, the morphia will be reddened by the nitrous acid disengaged. Or add to the solution proto-sulphate of iron and sulphuric acid, the nitric acid extricated acting on the salt of iron will darken the colour of the solution. Treatment. Empty the stomach, and dilute freely with milk and bland demulcents : exhibit emollient enemas; and, after bleeding when the pulse is hard and quick, administer opium and aromatics. NITRATE OF SILVER, or LUNAR CAUSTIC, (Argenti Nitras.) A corrosive metallic poison. Symptoms. Nearly the same as those produced by corrosive sublimate; in general the pain of the stomach is more severe: greatly embarrassed respiration. Morbid Appearances. The organs of deglutition and the stomach pre- sent evident marks of inflammation and erosion. The mucous mem- brane of the stomach presents a black colour; the lips, the interior of the mouth, the oesophagus, are also black. The fingers are sometimes tinged with the same colour. Tests. If the poison have been taken in solution in wrater, it is detected by the arsenious acid mixed with ammonia precipitating a yellow arsenite of silver. Ammonia does not render the solution turbid, but it is precipitated olive colour by all the other alkalies. A stick of phosphorus placed in it precipitates the silver in a metallic state. All the hydrochlorates decompose it, and throw down a white precipitate, which is changed to black by the light; put these precipitates into a tube open at both ends and heated, pass through it a stream of hy- drogen gas, the chloride first becomes yellow, then fuses and changes to red, which gradually weakens in depth, and leaves a coating of metallic silver on the tube. Treatment. Administer, instantly, a strong solution of common salt, to form an insoluble chloride of silver in the stomach. Then evacuate the stomach by an emetic; and, if symptoms of inflammation never- theless supervene, employ local and general bleeding, tepid baths, and emollient fomentations and clysters. NITRATE OF BISMUTH, (Nitras Bismuthi.) A corrosive metallic poison. Symptoms. Nearly the same as those of corrosive sublimate, with a sensation of great heat in the chest, and difficulty of breathing. Morbid Appearances. Inflammation and erosion'of the mucous mem- brane of the stomach, which is almost reduced to a state of pulp, and separates by the slightest friction. The inflammation extends through- out the intestines, and the lungs also display traces of it. Tests. The best test is chromate of potassa, which precipitates it from its aqueous solution of a beautiful orange-yellow colour. It may be detected in the solid contents of the stomach by calcination; in the fluid contents by passing through them a stream of sulphuretted hy- drogen gas, dissolving the precipitate in hydrochloric acid, filtering the solution and testing with ferrocyanate of potassa, which forms a yellowish-white precipitate. Treatment. Exhibit large draughts of milk, which is firmly coagulated into clots by the nitrate of bismuth, and involving the poison, affords time and opportunity to expel it from the stomach. If svmptoms of inflammation show themselves, combat them by bleeding, and other antiphlogistic measures.
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