Treatise on Poisons by Sir Robert Christison

6. _Of Bicyanide of Mercury._

The bicyanide of mercury is a compound of mercury and cyanogen. It is usually sold in the form of white, opaque, heavy, crystals, which are rhomboidal prisms. It has a disagreeable, corrosive, metallic taste. It is easily known from every other substance by the effects of heat. If a small quantity of it, previously well dried, be introduced into a glass phial to which a small tube is fitted by means of a cork, on the application of heat the salt becomes black; mercury is sublimed, and condenses in globules on the upper part of the phial; and a gas escapes, which has the odour of prussic acid, and burns with a beautiful rose-red flame.

← Previous Back to Home Next →

Chapter 1 Ch.1
PART II.—OF INDIVIDUAL POISONS. Ch.2
CHAPTER I. Ch.3
1. _On the Action of Poisons through Sympathy._ In the infancy of Ch.4
2. _Of the Action of Poisons through Absorption._—If doubts may be Ch.5
1. _Quantity_ affects their action materially. Not only do they produce Ch.6
2. _As to state of aggregation_,—poisons act the more energetically the Ch.7
3. The next modifying cause is _chemical combination_. This is sometimes Ch.8
4. The effect of _mixture_ depends partly on the poisons being diluted. Ch.9
5. _Difference of tissue_ is an interesting modifying power in a Ch.10
6. With respect to differences arising from _difference of organ_, these Ch.11
7. _Habit and Idiosyncrasy._—The remarks to be made under the present Ch.12
8. The last modifying cause to be mentioned comprehends certain Ch.13
CHAPTER II. Ch.14
1. The first characteristic is the _suddenness of their appearance and Ch.15
2. The next general characteristic of the symptoms of poisoning is Ch.16
3. Another characteristic is _uniformity in the nature of the symptoms_ Ch.17
4. The fourth characteristic is, that _the symptoms begin soon after a Ch.18
5. Lastly, _the symptoms appear during a state of perfect health_. This Ch.19
1. As to the _suddenness of their invasion and rapidity of their Ch.20
2. As to the uniformity or _uninterrupted increase of the symptoms_, it Ch.21
3. It was stated above, that the third character, _uniformity in kind_ Ch.22
4. In the next place, it was observed that some reliance may be placed Ch.23
5. Little need be said with regard to _the symptoms beginning, while the Ch.24
1. It may have been discharged by vomiting and purging. Thus on the Ch.25
2. The poison may have disappeared, because it has been all absorbed. It Ch.26
3. Poisons may not be found, because the excess has been decomposed. Ch.27
4. Lastly, the poison which has been absorbed into the system, and may Ch.28
1. The evidence derived from _the effects of suspected food, drink, or Ch.29
2. In the case of _the vomited matter_ or _contents of the stomach_ Ch.30
3. The effects of _the flesh of poisoned animals_, eaten by other Ch.31
3. The next article, which relates to the proof of the administration of Ch.32
4. The next article in the moral evidence relates to the intent of the Ch.33
5. The next article among the moral circumstances,—the simultaneous Ch.34
6. The next article of the moral evidence relates to suspicious conduct Ch.35
CHAPTER III. Ch.36
CHAPTER I. Ch.37
1. _Arsenical_ White arsenic 185 Ch.38
2. _Acids_ Sulphuric acid 32 Ch.39
3. _Mercurials_ Corrosive sublimate 12 Ch.40
4. _Other mineral irritants_ Tartar-emetic 2 Ch.41
5. _Veget. irritants_ Colchicum 3 Ch.42
7. _Opium_ Opium or Laudan. 180 Ch.43
8. _Hydrocyanic acid_ Med. Hydroc. acid 27 Ch.44
9. _Other veget. Narcotics_ Nux-vomica 3 Ch.45
11. Unascertained 22 Ch.46
CHAPTER II. Ch.47
1. _Distension of the Stomach._—Mere distension of the stomach from Ch.48
2. _Rupture of the Stomach_ is not a common occurrence; but it sometimes Ch.49
3. _Rupture of the Duodenum_ is a very rare accident from internal Ch.50
4. Under the next head may be classed rupture of the other organs of the Ch.51
5. The next accident which may be noticed on account of its being liable Ch.52
6. _Of Bilious Vomiting and Simple Cholera._—Of all the diseases which Ch.53
7. _Of Malignant Cholera._—The history of this disease affords a fair Ch.54
8. _Of Inflammation of the Stomach._—Chronic inflammation of the stomach Ch.55
9. _Inflammation of the Intestines_ in its acute form is more common Ch.56
10. _Inflammation of the Peritonæum_, or lining membrane of the belly, Ch.57
11. The subject of _Spontaneous Perforation of the Stomach_ is an Ch.58
12. The _gullet_ may be perforated in a similar manner either with or Ch.59
13. _Perforation of the alimentary canal by worms_ may here also be Ch.60
14. The next diseases to be mentioned are melæna and hæmatemesis, or Ch.61
15. The last are _colic_, _iliac passion_, and _obstructed intestine_. Ch.62
CHAPTER III. Ch.63
1. _When concentrated_ it is oily-looking, colourless, or brownish from Ch.64
2. _When diluted_, it may be distinguished from all ordinary acids by Ch.65
3. It is seldom that the medical jurist is called on to search for Ch.66
1. The most ordinary symptoms are those of the first variety,—namely, Ch.67
2. The second variety of symptoms belong to a peculiar modification of Ch.68
3. The third variety includes cases of imperfect recovery. These are Ch.69
4. The last variety comprehends cases of perfect recovery, which are Ch.70
1. _When concentrated_, nitric acid is easily known by the odour of its Ch.71
2. _In a diluted state_ this acid is not so easily recognised as the Ch.72
3. _When in a state of compound mixture_, nitric acid, like sulphuric Ch.73
1. Hydrochloric acid, _in its concentrated state_, is colourless, if Ch.74
2. _When diluted_, it is recognised with facility, first by Ch.75
3. In the last edition of this work I proposed for the detection of Ch.76
CHAPTER IV. Ch.77
CHAPTER V. Ch.78
CHAPTER VI. Ch.79
1. In the form of a pure solution, its nature may be satisfactorily Ch.80
2. The only important modifications in the analysis rendered necessary Ch.81
CHAPTER VII. Ch.82
CHAPTER VIII. Ch.83
CHAPTER IX. Ch.84
CHAPTER X. Ch.85
CHAPTER XI. Ch.86
CHAPTER XII. Ch.87
CHAPTER XIII. Ch.88
3. The arsenite of copper, or _mineral green_. 4. The arsenite of potass Ch.89
2. _Of the Tests for Arsenious Acid._ Ch.90
7. After the precipitate has thoroughly subsided, the supernatant liquid Ch.91
introduction as a poison into the body. This topic, one of paramount Ch.92
1. _Arsenic may exist as an adulteration in some reagents._—It must be Ch.93
2. _Arsenic may be present in some articles of chemical Ch.94
3. _Arsenic may have existed in antidotes administered during life._—It Ch.95
4. _Arsenic sometimes exists naturally in the human body._—This Ch.96
5. _Arsenic may exist in the soil of churchyards._—This proposition too Ch.97
3. _Arsenite of Copper_. Ch.98
4. _Arsenite of Potass_. Ch.99
5. _Arseniate of Potass._ Ch.100
6. _The Sulphurets of Arsenic._ Ch.101
7. _Arseniuretted-Hydrogen._ Ch.102
1. In one order of cases, then, arsenic produces symptoms of irritation Ch.103
2. The second variety of poisoning with arsenic includes a few cases in Ch.104
3. The third variety of poisoning with arsenic places in a clear point Ch.105
CHAPTER XIV. Ch.106
1. _Of Red Precipitate._ Ch.107
2. _Of Cinnabar._ Ch.108
3. _Of Turbith Mineral._ Ch.109
4. _Of Calomel._ Ch.110
5. _Of Corrosive Sublimate._ Ch.111
1. _Hydrosulphuric acid gas_ transmitted in a stream through a solution Ch.112
1. _Lime-Water_ throws down the binoxide of mercury in the form of a Ch.113
6. _Of Bicyanide of Mercury._ Ch.114
7. _Of the Nitrates of Mercury._ Ch.115
1. The symptoms in the first variety are very like what occur in the Ch.116
2. The second variety of poisoning with mercury comprehends the cases, Ch.117
3. The third variety of poisoning with mercury comprehends all the forms Ch.118
introduction of corrosive sublimate into the stomach. The poison then Ch.119
CHAPTER XV. Ch.120
1. _Mineral Green._ Ch.121
2. _Natural Verdigris._ Ch.122
3. _Blue Vitriol._ Ch.123
1. _Ammonia_ causes a pale azure precipitate, which is redissolved by an Ch.124
2. _Sulphuretted hydrogen gas_ causes a dark brownish-black precipitate, Ch.125
3. _Ferro-cyanate of potass_ causes a fine hair-brown precipitate, the Ch.126
4. A polished rod or plate of _metallic iron_, held in a solution of Ch.127
4. _Artificial Verdigris._ Ch.128
1. Should the subject of analysis not be a liquid, render it such by Ch.129
2. If the copper be extremely minute in quantity, sulphuretted hydrogen Ch.130
CHAPTER XVI. Ch.131
1. _Caustic potass_ precipitates a white sesquioxide, but only if the Ch.132
2. _Nitric acid_ throws down a white precipitate, and takes it up again Ch.133
3. The _Infusion of Galls_ causes a dirty, yellowish-white precipitate; Ch.134
4. The best liquid reagent is _Hydrosulphuric acid_. In a solution Ch.135
5. When the solution is put into Marsh’s apparatus for detecting arsenic Ch.136
1. Subject a small portion of the liquid to a stream of hydrosulphuric Ch.137
2. If hydrosulphuric acid do not distinctly affect the liquid, or if no Ch.138
3. If antimony be not indicated in either of these ways in the fluid Ch.139
CHAPTER XVII. Ch.140
CHAPTER XVIII. Ch.141
1. _Of Litharge and Red Lead._ Ch.142
2. _Of White Lead._ Ch.143
3. _Of Sugar of Lead._ Ch.144
1. _Hydrosulphuric acid_ causes a black precipitate, the sulphuret of Ch.145
2. _Chromate of potass_, both in the state of proto-chromate and Ch.146
3. _Hydriodate of potass_ causes also a lively gamboge-yellow Ch.147
4. _A rod of zinc_ held for some time in the solution displaces the Ch.148
4. _Goulard’s Extract._ Ch.149
introduction of lead into the body; and in the last the whole course of Ch.150
introduction of lead into the body may be presumed to be the real cause. Ch.151
introduction of lead into the system. Dr. Burton thinks it will when the Ch.152
CHAPTER XIX. Ch.153
CHAPTER XX. Ch.154
CHAPTER XXI. Ch.155
CHAPTER XXII. Ch.156
CHAPTER XXIII. Ch.157
CHAPTER XXIV. Ch.158
CHAPTER XXV. Ch.159
CHAPTER XXIV. Ch.160
1. Apoplexy is sometimes preceded at considerable intervals by warning Ch.161
2. Apoplexy attacks chiefly the old. It is not, however, confined to the Ch.162
3. The next criterion is, that apoplexy occurs chiefly among fat people. Ch.163
4. A fourth criterion is drawn from the relation which the appearance of Ch.164
5. Another criterion relates to the progress of the symptoms. The Ch.165
6. Although there is a great resemblance between the symptoms of Ch.166
7. In the last place, a useful criterion may be derived from the Ch.167
1. The epileptic fit _is sometimes preceded by certain warnings_, such Ch.168
2. The symptoms of the epileptic fit _almost always begin violently and Ch.169
3. As in apoplexy, so in epilepsy the patient _in general cannot be Ch.170
4. When a person dies in a fit of epilepsy, _the paroxysm generally Ch.171
5. M. Esquirol, a writer of high authority, says that epilepsy _very Ch.172
CHAPTER XXVII. Ch.173
1. If there be any solid matter, it is to be cut into small fragments, Ch.174
2. Add now the solution of acetate of lead as long as it causes Ch.175
3. The fluid part is to be treated with hydrosulphuric acid gas, to Ch.176
4. It is useful, however, to separate the meconic acid also; because, as Ch.177
5. If there be a sufficiency of the original material, Merck’s process Ch.178
546. There is little doubt that poisoning with opium may cause Ch.179
CHAPTER XXVIII. Ch.180
CHAPTER XXIX. Ch.181
CHAPTER XXX. Ch.182
CHAPTER XXXI. Ch.183
1. M. Chomel of Paris has related a case of poisoning with the gas Ch.184
2. The fumes of burning charcoal have been long known to be deleterious. Ch.185
3. It is probable that in some circumstances a very small quantity of Ch.186
4. The vapours from burning coal are the most noxious of all kinds of Ch.187
5. Somewhat analogous to the symptoms now described are the effects of Ch.188
CHAPTER XXXII. Ch.189
CHAPTER XXXIII. Ch.190
CHAPTER XXXIV. Ch.191
CHAPTER XXXV. Ch.192
CHAPTER XXXVI. Ch.193
CHAPTER XXXVII. Ch.194
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Ch.195
CHAPTER XXXIX. Ch.196
CHAPTER XL. Ch.197
CHAPTER XLI. Ch.198
1. When the dose is small, much excitement and little subsequent Ch.199
2. When the effect is sufficiently great to receive the designation of Ch.200
160. In twenty-four hours more the breathing became laborious and Ch.201
3. The third degree of poisoning is not so often witnessed, because, in Ch.202
CHAPTER XLII. Ch.203
1. _Poisoning with Arsenic and Alcohol._—A man, after taking twelve Ch.204
3. _Poisoning with Tartar-Emetic and Charcoal Fumes._—Under the head of Ch.205
4. _Poisoning with Alcohol and with Laudanum._—Under the head of Ch.206
5. _Poisoning with Laudanum and Corrosive Sublimate._—Of all the cases Ch.207
6. _Poisoning with Opium and Belladonna._—A lady, who used a compound Ch.208
7. In the following cases, the active poisons to which the individuals Ch.209
2. Apparatus for the distillation of fluids suspected to contain Ch.210
3. Tube for reducing very small portions of arsenic or mercury. The Ch.211
4. A small glass funnel for introducing the material into the tube Ch.212
5. The ordinary apparatus for disengaging sulphuretted-hydrogen. The Ch.213
6. Instrument for washing down scanty precipitates on filters. It is a Ch.214
7. Tubes of natural size for collecting small portions of mercury by Ch.215
8. Pipette, one-fourth the natural size, for removing by suction Ch.216
9. Apparatus for reducing the sulphurets of some metals by a stream of Ch.217
36. Quoted by Marx, die Lehre von den Giften, I. ii. 163. Ch.218
92. Vicarius, Ibidem, Obs. 100. Riselius, Ibidem, Dec. i. An. v. Obs. Ch.219
1762. See Marx, i. ii. 29. Ch.220
1. P. 476, changed “exasperated by the use of oil” to “exacerbated by Ch.221
2. P. 513, changed “I may here add a very opposite instance of Ch.222
6. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. Ch.223