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carbonic oxide, CO; light carburetted hydrogen, CH,; olefiant gas, C, H2; cyanogen, C, N ; prussic acid, C2 NH. The less oxygen the more poisonous the substance. Hence the activity of the substance would appear to depend on the carbon rather than on the oxygen. It is not improbable that, if pure carbon were not insoluble, it might be found to be an energetic poison.

The lecture from which the preceding facts are borrowed contains much valuable practical information regarding the medicinal action of lemon juice, and citric acid.-Lectures on Materia Medica, by Dr. Bence Jones, in Medical Times and Gazette, October 21.

M. CHEVALLIER, in the October number of the Annales d'Hygiène, has related a case of poisoning by the vapours of carbon, and gives the conclusions of his experiments, confirming the preceding observations of Dr. Jones. M. Chevallier shows that 3 or 4 per cent. of carbonic oxide will suffice to destroy a strong dog, that would not have been killed by less than 30 or 40 per cent. of carbonic acid in the air. Warm-blooded animals may be destroyed by 1 per cent. of carbonic oxide.

Poisoning with Ranunculus Acris.-Some children amusing themselves in a meadow by making coronets, of buttercups (boutons d'or), one of them was tempted to eat several of the flowers. A few minutes afterwards, this child was seized with severe colic, and all the symptoms of poisoning, which, however, were removed by medical care.-Journal de Chimie Médicale, October.

Slow Poisoning with Copper.-Dr. CORRIGAN states that fatal results may follow slow copper-poisoning, by its effects in undermining the constitution, producing debility, emaciation, and proclivity to the exciting causes of disease. Retraction of the edge of the purple discoloration, is observed in these cases, and continues for a very long period.

gums, with Poisoning with Verdigris.-Dr. REINHARDT, of Ulm, relates the following case, which is in- . teresting from the large quantity taken and the success of treatment. J. K., 26 years of age, was admitted into the Garrison Hospital in consequence of an attempt to poison himself with verdigris, of which he stated that he had taken, on an empty stomach, about one ounce and a half, with some bread and water, at one o'clock, P. M. In about half an hour he felt ill, and vomited some of the verdigris. In about three quarters of an hour the vomiting recurred; in the interval, he suffered severe pain over the eyes, and colic-like pain in the stomach, which was somewhat relieved by an oleaginous mixture. On his way to the hospital in the evening, he vomited several times. On admission, he complained of pain in the head, a metallic taste in the mouth, and colicy pains, with feeling of distension of the abdomen; the left hypochondrium was tender to pressure, the pulse was normal, as was also the temperature of the skin. Sugared water and the albumen of four eggs were administered. In about half an hour he vomited some green fluid, with many particles of verdigris in the matters vomited. Sulphuret of calcium was then given. Some abatement of the symptoms took place: these, however, recurred with increased severity about 3 o'clock in the morning, with the addition of ardor urinæ. Leeches, sulphuret of potassium, albumen, &c., were continued. The patient was convalescent by the 8th November. No copper could be discovered in either the saliva, urine, or blood. In the fæces a slight trace was found.-Henke's Zeitschrift, dritter Vierteljahrschrift,

1854.

Poisonous Properties of Delphinine.-Van PRAAG, in the Archiv für Patholog., &c.. iv. 3, 385, has given the results of his experiments on fishes, frogs, birds, and mammalia. The ef fects were almost instantaneous paralysis of the heart. On dissection, congestion of the membranes of the brain, of the heart, the large venous trunks, and of the liver, was observed.— Quoted in Dr. Littlejohn's Report on Toxicology, in the Association Journal, Sep. 29, 1854.

Poisoning by Oil of Bitter Almonds. Recovery.-Dr. PURSELL, of Kennington, relates the case of a boy, aged four years, who accidentally swallowed about four or five drachms of genuine concentrated oil of bitter almonds. He immediately became insensible; the countenance flushed; eyeballs greatly protruded from the sockets, and having a rolling movement, pupils dilated and insensible to light; pulse slow, full, and strong; breathing stertorous; complete opisthotonos; rigidity of muscles of jaw; frequent convulsive action of muscles of face and neck. Vomiting was produced by sulphate of zinc,-warm water, injected with the stomachpump, removing undigested food strongly flavoured with oil of almonds. Cold affusion, stimulants, external warmth, promoted reaction. Consciousness returned in about four hours.— Association Journal, Sept. 29, 1854.

Dissection and Chemical Analysis in Elucidation of the Cause of Death, in a case of suspected Poisoning with Cyanide of Potassium.-The body was that of a youth about nineteen

years of age, well made. The cornea had undergone scarcely any change. The mouth was firmly closed, and exhibited the dried remains of frothy saliva on the lips, and a brownish coloured fluid flowed from the angles of the mouth. The hair of the scalp was readily extracted. Incipient putrefaction was observed on the abdominal integuments. The posterior aspect of the body presented the usual discoloration from gravitation of blood. On dividing the scalp a tolerable quantity of thin black blood flowed from the occipital regions. The bones of the skull were thin. The vessels and membranes of the brain were loaded with black blood. The cerebral substance exhibited excess of bloody spots when cut through. The substance of the brain was firm. No odour was perceptible within the cranium. No injury was detected in any of the bones of the skull.

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The abdominal cavity contained a quantity of bloody and watery fluid, a portion of which was set aside for analysis. There was increased vascularity in parts of the mucous surface of the small intestines, which presented a dark red colour. The other abdominal viscera were in a healthy condition. The stomach was tied at each end, and removed: a bluish-red discoloration was observed on its upper surface. The remains of food were found in the stomach; the mucous membrane of this organ had an intensely dark reddish-brown colour. The larger veins of the abdominal viscera were somewhat congested with dark blood.

The heart was firm; the large vessels full of blood. The cavities of the heart were empty, with the exception of the right auricle, which was filled with dark blood. The lungs, more particularly the lower lobes, were congested with dark blood, and presented several spots of extravasation.

The upper end of the oesophagus, to the extent of one inch, presented its normal appearances; from this point, however, to its termination, it had a blue colour, not removed by washing in water.

The matters submitted to chemical analysis were,-1. The stomach and its contents; 2. The fluid from the abdominal cavity; 3. Fluid which escaped from the mouth and nostrils; 4. Blood from the cranial cavity; 5. A cup containing matters vomited by deceased; 6. The remains of the food partaken of by deceased. The analysis was performed by Drs. Tschepke and Eichhorn, who detected abundant evidence in 1, 2, and 3, of the presence of prussic acid, supposed to have been derived from ferro-cyanide of potassium, in use in the factory in which deceased had been employed. No prussic acid could be separated from 4, 5, or 6.

It was, for the following reasons, concluded that death in this case had been caused by cyanuret of potassium:-1. It had taken place suddenly; no other poison with which the public is familiar has so sudden an operation as has prussic acid. Strychnine, brucine, atropine, nicotine, are not well known to the public. 2. The unusually slight change that the cornea had undergone. 3. The looseness of the hair of the head. 4. The unusually fluid state of the blood. 5. The congested state of the venous system. 6. The inflamed state of the stomach and intestines. 7. The extravasated spots in the lungs.

The rapidity of decomposition of the body, which has been observed in poisoning by prussic acid, was not noticeable in this case, probably owing to the state of combination of the acid with an alkaline base.-Casper's Vierteljahrsch., July.

MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Cause of the late Explosion at Newcastle.

DR. ALFRED TAYLOR was deputed by the Secretary of State to investigate the circumstances of the late catastrophe at Newcastle. The inquiries were more especially directed to ascertain the truth of a rumour, that large quantities of gunpowder, stored in one of the warehouses or vaults, was the cause of the explosion. We have condensed the report considerably, but have not omitted any important point.

After giving the analysis of a powder found on the premises, which was supposed to be gunpowder, but which was merely a mixture of sulphur, sulphuret of sodium, sulphate of soda, and a little oxide of iron, Dr. Taylor proceeded to the report on the cause of the explosion.

"Arguments for Gunpowder.

"The effects produced-suddenness, violence, and extent of the explosion-apparently no other cause in the first instance to account for it.

"Against Gunpowder.

"1. No direct evidence of its presence in the warehouse.

"2. No body of flame seen at the instant of explosion:-only before and afterwards.

"3. No traces of burning by gunpowder on the bodies or dresses of the dead.

4. There were no traces of gunpowder, consumed or unconsumed, in any part of the premises.

5. The explosion, from whatever cause, must have taken place in the vault-this being the crater, focus, or centre of explosion.

"The water of the crater (the vault) has been analyzed, and contains no salts of potash (the indication of burnt gunpowder). It is surrounded by large blocks of sulphur, some of which has undergone fusion. This sulphur in the vault must have been in a melted state before the gunpowder was fired, because sulphur melts easily at 230 deg. Fahrenheit, and I have determined by experiment that gunpowder is not exploded under a temperature of 525 deg. Fahrenheit.

"The facts being so, the eight tons of gunpowder, or whatever the quantity, must have. been discharged in the midst of the melted sulphur, so that the cloud of charcoal and sulphuret of potassium would have to traverse the melted sulphur; yet analysis shows that there is not an atom of charcoal in the fused sulphur of the crater, nor any sulphuret of potassium or sulphate of potash.

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Every atom of the 2240 lbs. of charcoal, as well as of the 9000 lbs. of sulphate of potash, has been proved to be absent from about the centre or focus of explosion. "The mass of fused sulphur from the crater was analyzed. Its chemical composition bears out exactly the statement of the witnesses, that there was nothing in the vault but sulphur and nitrate of soda.

Within six yards of the crater, in the precise direction which the explosion took across the Tyne-i. e., north-were lying a number of bags of nitrate of soda, which had evidently been blown over by the explosion. As, from their position, they must have been in the very course of the explosion, it is clear that the blast of eight tons of gunpowder could never have passed over them without scorching, singing, and blackening by charcoal the hempen fibre, yet they presented no traces of such action."

6. The sulphuret of potassium produced in the discharge of gunpowder has a tendency to discolour or turn brown white lead paint-i. e., if within reach of the cloud of sulphuret formed from the discharge of powder. A marine-store shop in Hillgate has had its front blown in, but there is no general tarnish or discoloration of the painted joists.

"For these reasons I do not see that the theory that this explosion took place as the result of gunpowder has any scientific support whatever.

"For Aqueous Vapour or High-pressure Steam.

"In favour of this view we may notice the terrific effects—the rending and destruction of all surrounding buildings and objects.

"Against it.

"1. A large quantity of water, say one or two tons, must have been suddenly converted into steam in order to produce the effects observed.

"2. How could this have entered the vault in such a volume at once? How could it have accumulated to explode all at once in a quantity sufficient to account for the tremendous explosion? There was no boiler or vessel in the vault to hold these tons of water until it had reached that amount of pressure which would suffice to rend the walls asunder.

"3. At the moment of the explosion, clouds of steam would have been visible, and some of the bodies at least, near the seat of explosion, would have presented marks of scalding. "The facts above-mentioned show that steam was not the agent in this case.

"For Gaseous Explosion.

"1. The adequate production of a large quantity of gas (nitrogen and sulphurous acid) in a strong and comparatively closed vault, by the combustion of the materials contained in this vault-namely, nitrate of soda and sulphur.

"2. The known law in physics, that when any gases are produced by chemical decomposition in large quantity, in a comparatively confined space, and under a high temperature, the vessel or space must, sooner or later, burst or be rent asunder, simply by the mechanical power of the gas.

"3. The open doorway forms a small area compared with the large area of the vault, and the top of the doorway was five feet from the roof, forming an enclosed space above.

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'4. The sulphur will burn at the expense of the oxygen of the nitre; and in proportion to the amount of oxygen or nitre commanded by the sulphur, so will be the intensity of the heat. Eighty-six pounds of nitrate of soda would be equivalent to 2400 cubic feet of air in burning with sulphur.

"5. Assuming that about two tons of this material are in a state of active combustion,

so much of the two gases might be suddenly extricated that the chamber, and all above and around it, would be blown to pieces before the gases could find a sufficient escape by the doors. If, by any accident during the conflagration, the space of the doorway became obstructed, partially or wholly, this would at once convert the chamber into a vast shell, which would burst and carry all before it at its weakest point.

"6. Confirmatory of this view, I found that the powder scraped from a large mass of stone which had been blown across the Tyne consisted of sulphur, sulphuret of sodium, and sulphate of soda.

"An iron kerb-post, weighing three cwt. or more, blown into a stonemason's yard at Gateshead, had on it a powder which I examined, and found to consist of similar constituents---sulphur and sulphate of soda.

"On the gunpowder theory, this appears inexplicable, unless we suppose that all traces of the burnt powder had been carefully washed off. On the theory above given, these deposits on the stone and iron are accounted for.

"7. This kind of explosion is unattended with flame or steam. The gases do not burn (nitrogen and sulphurous acid). They would not (like exploded gunpowder) blacken, scorch, or singe bags of nitrate of soda over which they passed.

"There would be no such volume of flame in the explosion of these gases as in the burning of gunpowder. All would be, at the instant, darkness; and there would be the choking, stifling sensation of sulphurous acid.

"8. How did the sulphur become ignited? It should be known most distinctly and clearly, that sulphur will melt and take fire without the immediate contact of flame, or of any incandescent or ignited body. Hot air alone will cause it to melt in flame and burn. It melts at 230 deg.-i. e., only 18 deg. of Fahrenheit above the boiling point of water; and I have found it to ignite between 347 deg. and 400 deg.-certainly under 450 deg. It will ignite at a temperature at which gunpowder will not explode.

"My belief is, that a temperature of 600 deg. soon spread over the whole of the building, including the basement chambers. There was a ton and a half of coal oil or naptha in the flat above the vault, which, by burning, must have diffused a large amount of heat through the whole building, quite enough to ignite sulphur. From the worsted factory wall, if the bricks became heated, the heat would be conveyed to the air in a narrow passage described to run out and open by a free space near the mouth of the vault. This air might soon become hot enough to ignite sulphur without the necessity of any burning ember or flame reaching it, or without the wooden roof of the vault being burnt through.

"9. Many of the articles in the basement escaped burning, and much of the lead escaped melting. The burning of bodies depends on the presence of oxygen in the air. Sulphur, when once ignited, soon removes the whole of this oxygen, so that no combustion can go on; and it would itself soon cease to burn, unless it were in contact with a substance like nitrate of soda, which can supply to it an abundance of oxygen.

"I have found that sulphurous acid, even when it forms only 33 per cent. of air, extinguishes a lighted candle, a lighted stick, and all bodies that are kindled or in the act of burning. In the concentrated state, nothing can keep ignited or lighted within this vapour for one single instant. Thus the thick wooden roof of the vault might ignite from above, but it could not be ignited from below, because the upper part of the vault would be quite filled with the vapour of sulphurous acid, and there would be no air in the chamber to sustain the combustion of a single spark in the timber. This would explain the non-ignition and absence of burning in the bags of nitrate of soda outside the chamber.

"It is my belief, judging from all the facts as they at present appear in this remarkable case, that the burning of the sulphur and nitre in the chamber might attain the vigour necessary to lead to explosion before all the sulphur outside the chamber was melted-before all the bags outside the chamber were burnt, or the nitrade of soda within them melted-or before all the pigs of lead were melted, and before the roof of the chamber was burnt or had given way. If the flat above fell upon the roof of the vault immediately before the explosion, this would add to the superincumbent weight, increase the explosive force of the gas within, and lead to a greater amount of destruction than would otherwise have occurred.

"This is the only theory upon which, as facts at present stand, I can account for this explosion. Gunpowder does not account for it, unless we throw aside all experience concerning the chemical action of this body. Steam cannot account for it. Lastly, upon the only theory reconcilable with the evidence of what is proved to have been in the vault, and to have been carried by projectiles across the Tyne, and to a great distance in Gateshead, had there been substances in this vault not ignitable, or which could not form gases, there would have been reason for looking to some other force, such as gunpowder, steam, or volcanic agency for a cause. "ALFRED S. TAYLOR, M.D., F.R.S." The verdict of the jury was in accordance with this evidence.

BOOKS RECEIVED FOR

Lectures on Polarized Light. By the late Jonathan Pereira. Edited by the Rev. Baden Powell. Second Edition London, 1854.

Ein Beitrag zur Pathologischen Anatomie der Geschwülste im Verlaufe der Nerven (Inaug. Diss.). Von Florian Kupferberg. Mainz, 1854.

Hanpbuch der Pathologie und Therapie. Von D. C. A. Wunderlich. Zweiter Band, V. Abtheil. (Schluss.) Stuttgart, 184.

Handbuch der Physiologischen Chemie. Von Professor D. C. G. Lehmann. Leipzig, 1854.

Traité des Tunneurs Blanches des Articulations. Par le Dr. J. Crocq. Bruxelles, 1854.

Harrogate and its Resources, with an Analysis of the Waters. 1854.

Eighth Report of the Commissioners in Lunacy. (Printed by order of the House of Commons, June, 1854.)

Practical Observations on the Use and Abuse of Tobacco. By John Lizars, late Professor of Surgery to the Royal College of Surgeons. Edinburgh, 1854.

A Discourse on Medical Botany. By Earl Stanhope. London, 1854.

Cholera, an Analysis of its Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Character. By Henry Stephens, M.R.C.S. Third Edition.

Traité d'Anatomie Descriptive et d'Histologie Spéciale. Par E. M. van Kempen. Louvain, 1854.

(Inaug. Diss.

Das Adenoid der Weiblichen Brust. Giessen.) Von Adolph Weber. Giessen, 1854.

A Course of Practical Chemistry, arranged for the Use of Medical Students. By William Odling, M.B., F.C.S., Prof. of Practical Chemistry at Guy's Hospital. London, 1854.

The Ear in Health and Disease. By William Harvey. F.R.C.S. London, 1854.

A Manual of the Practice of Medicine. By T. H. Tanner, M.D. Second Edition. London, 1854.

Neurologische Untersuchungen. Von Dr. R. Wagner. Göttingen, 1854.

A Treatise on Diseases of the Lungs, having especial reference to Consumption. By A. W. Clarke, M.D. London, 1854.

Lectures on the Physical Diagnosis of the Diseases of the Lungs and Heart. By Herbert Davies, M.D. Second Edition. London, 1854.

On the Relative Merit of the Two Operations for Stone. By Frederick C. Skey, F.R.S. London, 1854.

The Book of Prescriptions, containing 2900 Prescriptions, collected from the practice of the most eminent Physicians and Surgeons. By Henry Beasley. London, 1854.

Principles of Comparative Physiology. By W. B. Carpenter, M.D., F.R.S. Fourth Edition. London, 1854. On Pain after Food, its Causes and Treatment. Edward Ballard, M.D. Lond. London, 1854.

By

How to Nurse Sick Children, intended especially as a Help to the Nurses at the Hospital for Sick Children. London, 1854

Klinische Chirurgie. Von Nikolaus Pirogoff. Heft 1 -3. Leipzig, 1854.

An Expository Lexicon of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, in Medical and General Science. By R. G. Mayne, M.D. Parts II, and III.

REVIEW.

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Society of London.

By Edwin Lee, Esq.

The Watering Places of England. Third Edition. London, 1854. Pathological and Surgical Observations. By Henry Lee, F.R.C.S., Surgeon to the Lock Hospital. London, 1854. A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of the Eye. By William Mackenzie, M.D. Fourth Edition. London, 1854.

The Use of the Blowpipe in the Qualitative and Quantitative Examination of Minerals. By Professor Plattner and Dr. Sheridan Muspratt. Third Edition. London, 1854.

A System of Instruction in Quantitative Chemical Analysis. By Dr. C. R. Fresenius. Second Edition. Edited by J. Lloyd Bullock, F.C.S. London, 1854.

Syphilitic Eruptions and other Secondary Symptoms. By Thomas Hunt, F.R.C.S. Second Edition. London, 1854.

The Medico Chirurgical Transactions. Vol. XXXVII. London, 1854.

A Disquisition on Certain Parts and Properties of the Blood. By David Tod, M.R.C.S. London, 1854.

What to Observe at the Bedside and after Death, in Medical Cases. Published under the Authority of the Medical Society of Observation. Second Edit. London, 1854.

De L'Electrisation Localisée, et de son Application à la Physiologie, à la Pathologie, et à la Thérapeutique. Par le Dr. G. B. Duchenne, de Boulogne. Paris, 1855.

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