Treatise on Poisons by Sir Robert Christison

ounces of whisky at a debauch, swallowed, an hour afterwards, while in a state of excitement, but not particularly drunk, a quantity of arsenic, the dose of which could not be ascertained. Fifteen minutes after the arsenic was taken medical aid was procured, upon which repeated attempts were made to produce vomiting by means of ipecacuan and sulphate of zinc, but to no purpose. The stomach-pump was therefore resorted to; and, after at least an hour had been spent in previous attempts by emetics, the stomach was cleared of a fluid in which arsenic was unequivocally detected. No symptom of poisoning with arsenic followed. As the man took the arsenic seven hours after a meal, when of course the powder would at once be brought freely in contact with the villous coat of the stomach, it must, I think, be inferred, that the operation of the arsenic was impeded or prevented by the narcotism previously induced by the ardent spirits. For this case I am indebted to a former pupil, Mr. King. _Poisoning with Arsenic and Alcohol._—A case of the same description with the last, but which proved fatal in consequence of the large quantity of arsenic taken, has been related by Dr. Wood of Dumfries. A lad of seventeen, after a night’s debauch, swallowed half an ounce of arsenic early in the morning. In two hours and a half, when Dr. Wood first saw him, there was no symptom of poisoning with arsenic,—no symptom at all indeed but languor and drowsiness. A few minutes afterwards he had slight vomiting, which was repeatedly renewed by artificial means. For some hours the pulse was but little elevated. In eighteen hours he began to sink, and presented the usual constitutional symptoms of poisoning with arsenic; and in forty-one hours he expired. But from first to last he had scarcely any local symptom except vomiting, even although the stomach presented after death signs of violent irritation.[2557]