ARSENIC FOR THE MILLION.

finds always iodine; M. Pasteur, the germs of all organic beings; of beer in many families; and as one consequence of our taking and now M. Barral has communicated to the Academy re- to drink French wines it seems likely that the Parisians will searches on which he bases the assertion that phosphorus largely adopt the use of English beer. exists in the atmosphere. The quantity was infinitely small, from one to the 900th of a milligramme (which is itself little But M. Barral more than a 3000th of a grain troy) per pint. calculates that this minute quantity will suffice to enrich arable land by an annual proportion of 400 grammes of phosphoric "Audi alteram partem." acid per hectare through the fall of rain-water. It seems clear, be extent the sources must to a accidental that however, great POISONING BY OXALIC ACID. and variable, and therefore further comparative experiments The curious point which was made out in the are needed. To the Editor of THE LANCET. course of the researches was this. In Paris, rain-water was SiR,-In your impression of November 24th, you reported in treated by evaporation, and about a quarter of a grain was the the "Mirror" some cases of poisoning by oxalic acid. For the residue or impurity; while in the country the residue was not information of your readers and the toxicologist I send you a more one-twelfth of a grain. Country air is beneficial to the brief outline of a case that occurred on the 29th of September health in proportion to its purity. last at the Leeds Barracks whilst I was in medical charge. A private in the left wing of the 12th Lancers (recently returned from India), a fine-looking man, twenty-six years of age, ARSENIC FOR THE MILLION. of only three or four years’ service, bilious temperament, and liable at times to fits of depression, traced to anxiety about his wife and two children, he having married without leave, or THE habitual employment of poisons for domestic purposes rather, as was afterwards ascertained, he was married when he complicates a hundredfold the already bewildering difficulties enlisted, consequently took a false oath. He joined the regiof toxicology in its juridical relations. How to convict of arse- ment in India, and had only just returned, after obtaining nical poisoning when ladies use arsenical cosmetics; when con- leave of absence, from visiting his wife in London, when he fectioners sell arsenical sweetmeats; when paperhangers clothe committed the rash act of swallowing poison. He had just returned from duty in the riding-school at half-past eight A.M., our walls with arsenical hangings, and impregnate all the air and had fallen from his horse, but was not injured, when he with fine arsenical dust; above all, when chemists sell arsenic was seen mixing something in a basin at the pump, the contents for a toothpowder and label it mercury ? of which he swallowed, dashing the basin on the ground, and A remarkable case of poisoning by arsenic was tried at the remarking to a comrade near that "he had done the service a Durham Assizes during the week, in which it was proved that good turn, and had taken an ounce of poison." On returning at once to his barrack-room, he commenced to vomit and purge. the accused person, the wife of the deceased, purchased a He was removed immediately to the hospital close at hand, quarter of a pound of arsenic, ostensibly to cure her husband’s and I was sent for. The hospital sergeant, a very intelligent toothache. It was sold to her labeled mercury. He died man, acting under the orders of the commanding officer, who, spot, administered an emetic, warm shortly after taking some medicine which she administered, happened toI be on the &c. reached the hospital in twenty-five minutes from water, his stomach of arsenical In poisoning. exhibiting symptoms the time of his taking the poison, but he had just ceased to It was, proved, on the one breathe as was found 150 grains of arsenic. I entered. I continued the use of every available hand, that she had contemplated her husband’s death; but it means for some time, but without effect. A paper, marked was proved also, on the other, that the deceased was in the poison," was picked up under his barrack-room window, and habit of using the " mercury"-that is to say the arsenic, for this contained a few grains of white powder, which I, of course, his teeth, and that she had seen him put a quantity of it into retained for analysis. The vomiting and purging continued incessantly till he died. a lucifer box, and take a spoonful from it, into which he dipped A examination, by order of the coroner, was his finger when he had wetted it, and rubbed it into his gums. madepost-mortem at twelve o’clock, three hours after death. The brain, The teeth of the deceased were proved to be very much de- heart, lungs, and kidneys were found healthy; the liver concayed, but no irritation of the gums or sign of the recent ap- gested and slightly enlarged. The stomach and its contents’ were removed for analysis. On opening it, the mucous memplication of arsenic appeared. Of course no conviction could brane was found highly congested, and curiously corrugated, follow after such evidence. But the state of things which it as if the muscular coat had been irritated and contracted. The’ discloses is highly alarming. Surely the chemist who sold the contents of the paper were first analyzed by Mr. Reynolds and’ arsenic, labeling it mercury, is liable to prosecution. This is mvself. Mr. Reynolds is an eminent chemist here, who is another of the many instances which we have lately accumu- always willing to aid professional men in toxicological investilated, showing the urgent necessity for a speedy revision of the gations, and that in the most liberal manner. On testing the, white powder found in the paper, we readily detected it to be laws affecting the sale of poisons in this country. oxalic acid, and all the usual tests for the discovery of this poison gave distinct evidence of the nature of the powder. The’ contents of the stomach were then, after the usual tedious ADULTERATION OF WINE IN PARIS. process of boiling and separation, put to the same tests, and gave similar results, so that we had no hesitation in pronouncing the poison taken to have been oxalic acid. It was not thought this in of AT moment, when French wines are process intro- requisite to analyze the fluid vomited from the stomach, which duction in progressively increasing quantities into this country, as far as I had ordered to be preserved ; but the bulk possible it may be interesting to note that a Bill is to be introduced of its contents had been discharged in the barrack-room, and into the Chambers in the ensuing session to correct, or rather I washed away. The coroner’s inquest was held at four P.M. the same day, to regulate, the adulteration of wine in Paris. It is a verdict in accordance with my evidence as to oxalic acid’ and to appoint a committee of chemists, physicians, and winethe cause of death was brought in, with the addition that being growers to give their opinion as to how far, and in what pro-. it was taken during "temporary insanity." The poor fellow’s portion, wines may be mixed without prejudice to the public friends were thus spared the ignominy of a verdict of felo - de-se, health. This is a very nice point of investigation; and when and his remains entitled to Christian burial and a military the precise limits which divide injurious from innocuous adul- funeral. It appears, then, that in this case the poison proved fatal in terations have been fixed, it is probable that everybody will be twenty-five minutes, and the rapidity of its effects corresponds particularly anxious to avoid consuming the authorized mix- with cases recorded by Prof. Christison and Dr. Taylor. The ture which will be legally denominated wine. The difficulty former mentions a case that proved fatal in ten minutes;. of -procuring pure wine in Paris has induced a large substitution others he names that did not do so for thirteen hours. A few

Correspondence.

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proposed

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