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a time, falls into a deep sleep, from which he awakes better, and is perfectly unconscious of all that has taken place; but, when death does take place, it usually occurs within fifteen or sixteen hours.

Quantity Required to Destroy Life.-Death has resulted from a few ripe berries, from the injection of a decoction of 80 grains of the root, and from a drachm of the extract. Two of the berries and three grains of the extract have caused bad symptoms. Recovery has, however, taken place after as many as fifty berries, after even two or three drachms of the extract, and an infusion of two drachms of the leaves. The external application of a belladonna plaster has been said to cause death. Two grains of atropina have caused death, and recovery is recorded after 15 grains. The application of an ointment of atropina has also produced a fatal result. The admixture of strychnine with belladonna is said largely to influence the activity of the latter.

Mode of Extraction from the Stomach.-An attempt should be made to find any leaves or seeds of the plant, since these afford the strongest evidence of the cause of death. Frequently the stomach is stained by the colour of the fluid of the berries, and this colour is changed to red by acids, and green by alkalies. The alkaloid atropina may be recovered by the same process as that employed in the discovery of aconitina.

The physiological tests are the most important, and notice should always be taken of the action of the residue when dropped into the eye or injected under the skin of a rabbit. Henbane and stramonium will, to a certain extent, although in less degree, cause a similar result.

Tests for Atropina.-1. A solution of hydrobromic acid, saturated with free bromine, gives a yellow precipitate, which rapidly becomes crystalline, insoluble in acetic acid, or in mineral acids, or in caustic alkalies.

2. A solution of iodine in iodide of potassium gives a reddishbrown precipitate, insoluble in potash or in acetic acid.

3. Chloride of gold gives a citron-yellow precipitate, insoluble in potash, and sparingly soluble in acids.

HYOSCYAMUS NIGER. THE HENBANE.

This plant contains an alkaloid, hyoscyamina.

Symptoms come on somewhat suddenly from a few miuutes to half an hour after the reception of the poison. There may be a little excitement, giddiness, pains in the head, flushed face, rapid, full pulse, succeeded by laboured breathing, incoherent talk or loss of power to talk, sight becoming indistinct, perverted, or quite destroyed. Later there is loss of power in the legs, with shaking of the limbs, and tetanoid movements of the muscles. Two effects are constant-viz., dilated pupils and uncontrollable delirium, usually very violent, either alternating with or terminating in

coma.

Occasional symptoms have been dryness of throat, diarrhoea and vomiting, and a scarlet eruption on the skin.

The seeds and root have both proved poisonous at times, varying from a few hours to some days, but recoverv has taken place in most instances.

Treatment.—The same as tnat of belladonna-poisoning.

Post-mortem Appearances.-Nothing more than congestion of the brain and its membranes.

Mode of Extraction from the Stomach.-The chief point is to find portions of the leaves, or of the seeds. It is almost impossible to isolate the alkaloid, but important evidence would be yielded if a residue were obtained which, when applied to the eye of a cat, produced dilatation of the pupil.

The Solanum tuberosum (the potato), Solanum nigrum (the black nightshade), the Solanum dulcamara (the woody nightshade or bitter-sweet), are possessed of poisonous properties, residing chiefly in the leaves and berries. They occasion symptoms such as dimness of sight, giddiness, delirium, trembling of the limbs, purging and vomiting, with dilatation of the pupils.

DATURA STRAMONIUM.

THE THORN-APPLE.

This plant contains an alkaloid, daturina, which is considered by some to be identical with atropina.

Symptoms of Poisoning.-These are similar to those of belladonna and hyoscyamus, but they set in somewhat sooner and are more severe. There are, ringing in the ears, dryness of throat, and flushed countenance, the pupils always widely dilated, violent delirium, with double vision; spectral illusions ensue rapidly, and generally terminate in intense coma. The lower extremities are often paralysed, and there is occasional irritation of the alimentary canal. The skin has been the seat of a scarlet cruption. Most

cases recover.

Death has resulted in seven hours in one case, and in twentyfour in another.

Treatment. The same as in belladonna-poisoning. Emetics, stomach-pump and castor oil. A few leeches to the temples, if the face is much flushed.

Post-mortem Appearances.-The most important and prominent appearance is congestion of the brain and its membranes. Irritation of the stomach has been found occasionally.

Mode of Extraction from the Stomach.—-Finding parts of plant is the most conclusive. An attempt may be made to extract the alkaloid, but this is extremely difficult.

COCCULUS INDICUS.

This is the berry of the Menispermum or Anamirta Cocculus. An extract of the berries is used for poisoning fish, and it is

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also employed to give an intoxicating quality to beer and spirits. It contains a poisonous alkaloid, called picrotoxine.

Symptoms.-Gastro-intestinal irritation with lethargic stupor

and powerlessness.

Picrotoxine appears in colourless prismatic crystals, having an intensely bitter taste. An alkaline solution, when treated with sulphate of copper, deposits the oxide of copper. The picrotoxine may be obtained from the stomach by Stas's process.

SOLANUM NIGRUM. THE BLACK OR GARDEN NIGHTSHADE.

The flowers are small and white, and the berries when ripe are black. The flowers and berries have been eaten by children and have given rise to intestinal irritation and cerebral symptoms, the pupils being extremely dilated.

LOLIUM TEMULENTUM.

THE DARNEL.

The seeds of this plant are sometimes ground into flour for making bread or mixed with other grains employed for distillation. They may occasion symptoms of intoxication with heat of throat, headache, giddiness, staggering, impaired vision, trembling of the limbs, vomiting, and collapse.

CAMPHOR. CINNAMOMUM CAMPHORA.

Symptoms.-The usual effects of an overdose of camphor are giddiness, cramps, imperfect sight, numbness of the extremities, apparent intoxication, difficulty of breathing, thirst, and at times convulsions. Recovery is usually preceded by long deep sleep, in which there is profuse sweating, the patient awakening intensely exhausted. The odour of camphor may be observed in the breath? Thirty grains proved fatal in seven hours to a child one and a half years of age. Severe effects have followed small doses, although it is on record that doses of 90 grains, repeated four times daily, have not been followed by bad results.

Post-mortem Appearances.-There is usually injection of the membranes of the brain, the bowels and stomach are inflamed. and the genito-urinary tract much congested:

Treatment.-Émetics should be given, followed by a full dose of

castor oil.

Upon examination after death, all the parts should be examined carefully for the camphor odour, and search should be made for undissolved portions of the poison. Strong alcohol should be added to the soluble contents, which should be then filtered; upon the addition of water to the alcoholic solution, the camphor will be precipitated.

POISONOUS FUNGI.

Many fungi are eaten all over the world with impunity, but others are of doubtful character. One individual may eat them without injury, while, in another, a mere taste may occasion violent poisonous symptoms. Some fungi, however, are uniformly productive of alarming results.

It may be stated generally that all fungi which grow in marshy situations, smell offensively, have a warty cap, and a green or scarlet hue, or turn blue very soon after being cut, or are burning to the throat, and have a bitter taste, should be regarded with suspicion.

The time at which the symptoms commence is very variable, since the same fungus will act differently on different persons. The symptoms have begun in ten minutes, or have been delayed for thirty-six hours.

Fungi frequently act as narcotics, intense coma being a prominent indication. Sometimes they act as irritants, inducing vomiting, pain, and purging; at other times they act as irritants and narcotics; headache, giddiness, dimness of sight, illusions, delirium, and convulsions are common symptoms. The same fungus may induce narcotic symptoms in one member of a family, and irritant symptoms in another.

Many cases recover, especially when vomiting has been early. One case is on record in which a man suffered for a year, more or less. Death generally takes place within twenty-four hours, but may be delayed for two or three days.

The circumstances which modify the action of fungi are the following:

(a) Idiosyncrasy. To some persons all forms of fungus are injurious.

(b) Cooking.-The active principle of a poisonous mushroom is thought to be volatile, and dissipated by moderate heat. Boiling in water, or soaking the mushroom, cut into slices, in vinegar or brine, may, to some extent, eliminate this principle.

(c) Climate. Many are eaten in France which in England are considered poisonous; and some are commonly eaten in Russia and Prussia which are never eaten in France.

It is stated by Bracon not that fungi contain various principles consisting mainly of an acrid resin, a saccharine substance, and a spongy principle termed fungin; whilst Letellier thinks there are two active principles, viz. :—

(a) An acrid volatile principle, to which the irritant properties may be ascribed, and which, from its volatility, disappears upon drying or boiling the fungus ip water.

(b) An alkaloid, amani ine, to which the narcotic symptoms are attributable.

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Treatment. The stomach-pump should be used, and emetics of sulphate of zinc and castor oil given.

There is no chemical antidote.

Post-mortem Appearances.-The stomach and intestines are frequently the seat of intense inflammation, and may be even gangrenous. Usually the liver is enlarged, and the vessels of the brain much congested.

Detection.-Endeavours should be made to find portions of the mushroom, and then the gills scraped, and examined microscopically for spores. The discovery of pink irregular spores, entoloma or rusty brown irregular spores, hebeloma or of round white prickly spores, russula, lactarii would afford strong indications of the presence of a poisonous mushroom. A complete analysis should always be made, in case the mushroom may have been the vehicle for the criminal administration of some poison, in order to disarm suspicion.

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The whole of the tobacco plant contains an alkaloid, nicotina, united to malic and citric acids, as malate and citrate of nicotina, and also tobacco camphor or nicotianin, a concrete volatile oil. It has been stated that these principles are present in whatever form tobacco is taken. In French samples of tobacco about 7 to 8 per cent. of nicotine are present. The Kentucky and Virginia tobaccos contain from 6 to 7 per cent. In Havannah tobacco, not more than 2 per cent. is present.

Symptoms of Poisoning.-Tobacco is essentially a powerful sedative. There are confusion and giddiness, tremblings of the limbs, much depression and faintness, with anxious countenance and cold clammy sweats, frequently vomiting, and occasionally purging, accompanied by violent pains in the abdomen. The pulse gradually becomes very weak and quivering, and sometimes hardly perceptible; the breathing more and more difficult, vision is impaired, and death is ushered in with convulsions more or less severe, and paralysis more or less perfect. The state of the pupil varies, being sometimes natural, sometimes contracted, and sometimes dilated; more often the last.

Treatment.-Vomiting should be produced as soon as possible by means of emetics, or the stomach-pump should be used, animal charcoal at the same time being injected into the stomach. Pain should be relieved afterwards by opium, and stimulants should be given.

Post-mortem Appearances.-These are not characteristic. There is generally congestion of the stomach, the vessels of the brain, lungs and liver being filled with black blood, and the heart empty. The blood is generally liquid, but black and resembling

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