A case of poisoning by chloral hydrate ; introducing a new test / by Francis Ogston, Jun.

  • Ogston, Francis, Jr., 1846-1917.
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A case of poisoning by chloral hydrate ; introducing a new test / by Francis Ogston, Jun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    A CASE OP POISONING BY CHLOKAL HYDEATE: INTRODUCING A NEW TEST. The appearance of an article in the October (1877) number of P]ulenberg's Vierteljahrssclirift fur Gerichtliche Medicin, by Pro- fessor Falck, of Marburg, entitled Toxicologische Studien iiber das Chloral Hjdrat, recalled to my memory a half-written paper on the same subject which I had begun in the spring of that year; and as the appearances noticed by me at the post-mortem examina- tion of a man who had taken a fatal dose of that poison agree in the main with those found by him in rabbits, cats, and dogs, it may be useful to publish the case, especially as it will serve me for an introduction to a new test for tiiis drug which 1 found out some years ago, and proved in this case. I commence, then, with the histoiy, so far as known, of the poisoning; giving the post-mortem appearances; relating the tests I employed to prove the presence of chloral in the body ; and con- cluding with a notice at length of the proposed test. I. —History of the PoisoNiNa. A farmer, in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, had been in the practice of taking chloral hydrate, partly under medical advice, but to a greater extent unknown to his medical adviser, and had always a quantity of it by him, generally carrying a bottle in his pocket. One evening he went out to look after his cattle, but as he did not return that night, a search was made for him, and after some time he was found lying dead at the foot of a wall. The circumstances of his death, and some slight bruises about his hands and legs, led to an investigation by the law authorities, and I was asked to go and examine the body along with the doctor of the neighbouring village (Dr Reid, of Ellon). II. —PoST-MORTEM EXAMINATION. The appearances found at tlie inspection, made on ihe 1st of August 1876, about thirty-six hours alter death, were as follows:—