Part 46

POISONING BY BRINE.

This is partly due to the toxic effects of common salt but also to the ptomaines and toxins formed in old brine. It has been seen most frequently in hogs fed on salted kitchen waste and on the liquids from salt meats, (beef, pork, fish). Herring-brine is a common source of poisoning for hogs and dogs, also the brine from the salted meats of the butcher’s shops. Reynal found it to be especially poisonous when at least four or five months old. He gave as the fatal doses for horse 3½ pints, for pig ½ pint, for dog 6–7 ozs. The lethal dose however will vary with the concentration of the fluid and its age.

Symptoms. In addition to the direct irritation caused by the sodium chloride there are marked nervous symptoms, nervous irritability, spasms, rolling of the eyes, convulsive winking, dilated pupil, blindness, vertigo, staggering gait, epileptiform seizures, trismus, oposthotonos, pleurosthotonos, stupor.

Lesions. In addition to those of the stomach and intestines there is marked congestion of the encephalon, especially the medulla and cerebellum.

Treatment. In addition to that for common salt, anodynes and stimulants (wine, camphor) may be demanded.

NITRATES OF POTASH AND SODA.

Lethal dose. Symptoms: Colics, tympany, emesis, salivation, pupillary dilatation, diarrhœa, diuresis, hypothermia, stupor, palpitations, trembling, spasms, palsy. Lesions: Congested gastro-intestinal mucosæ, erosions, ecchymosis, congested kidney and bladder. Blood fluid, bright red. Treatment: Emesis, stomach pump, water and mucilaginous liquids, stimulants.

Nitrate of soda being used largely as a top dressing for grass and other crops is more liable to be taken in toxic doses than nitrate of potash. The former is also given in mistake for common salt. The toxic dose is high. Morton gave 2 pounds saltpeter to a horse with only a temporary purgative and diuretic effect. Huzard found that 3 doses of 16 ounces each, given at intervals of 8 days sufficed to kill a horse. Cattle are said to have died from taking 5 to 6 ounces.

Symptoms. There are colics, tympany, emesis in vomiting animals, salivation, dilated pupil, diarrhœa, diuresis, hypothermia, stupor, palpitations, weak pulse, trembling, convulsions, tetanic symptoms, paralysis.

Lesions. Congestion of a cherry red, brown or purple of the gastric mucosa and that of the small intestine, erosions and ecchymosis, congestion and ecchymosis of the kidney and of the mucosa of the bladder. Blood uncoagulated and of a bright red.

Treatment. Favor emesis or use stomach pump according to the species of animal. Give abundance of water or mucilaginous fluids by mouth and anus. Stimulants may be resorted to in case of sinking or collapse.

ACUTE ARSENICAL POISONING, ARSENIOUS ACID, PARIS GREEN.

Acute poisoning. Sources. Lethal dose, horse, ox, sheep, dogs, pigs. Endermic. Symptoms: colic, weak pulse, rapid breathing, red eyes, dilated pupils, purging, weakness, trembling, stupor, convulsions, paralysis, green or yellow vomit, test of urine. Lesions: gastro-intestinal inflammation, ropy, bloody mucus, ecchymosis, extravasation, ulceration. Treatment: emesis, stomach pump, hydrated iron oxide, calcined magnesia.—Chronic poisoning. Excessive administration, arsenical fumes from smelting furnaces. Symptoms: indigestion, emaciation, hide-bound, depilation, red eyes, diarrhœa, agalactia, weakness, paraplegia, salivation. Lesions: as in acute, fatty liver, test of urine. Tests: on hot charcoal garlic odor, Marsh’s test by zinc and sulphuric acid. Treatment: avoidance of cause, antidotes demulcents, diet.

Arsenious acid given recklessly as medicine, rat poison, arsenite of soda made into a sheep dip and left within reach of animals, and arsenite of copper used for potato bugs, or other insect pests and carelessly left where animals can get it are the most common sources of acute arsenical poisoning. Horses die from 140 grains in solution, or 3½ drs. in the solid form, cattle from 3½ to 7 drs., sheep are killed by 2 drs., dogs may die from 2 grs., but larger doses usually cause vomiting and the animal is saved. Hogs may die from 15 grs. but they often save themselves by vomiting with much larger doses. The poisonous effects may be induced by putting arsenic on a raw sore.

Symptoms. Violent colic, quick, feeble, irregular pulse, hurried respiration, emesis in vomiting animals, ardent thirst, purging, tenesmus, lowered or unevenly distributed temperature, red eyes, dilated pupils, and nervous symptoms, weakness, trembling, stupor, convulsions and paralysis. The urine is albuminous and may be bloodstained. In case of Paris green, the green color of the vomit, and of arsenious acid, a yellow color may be looked for. Test urine for arsenic.

Lesions. Inflammation of the stomach and small intestine, with ropy, often bloody mucus. Ecchymosis, and extravasations appear in the stomach. Ulceration is not common in very acute cases, but in protracted cases, it is usually present in the stomach (abomasum in cattle). Petechiæ may be met with in different internal organs and in protracted cases, fatty degeneration of liver, heart, or kidney.

Treatment. In vomiting animals encourage emesis by tepid water, tickling the fauces, or giving ipecacuan. For non-vomiting animals the stomach pump may be tried. The available antidotes are hydrated oxide of iron, or a solution of calcined magnesia. To make the first, mix 100 parts sulphate of iron in solution with 250 parts magnesia in solution. This should be given liberally and often: horse or ox 1 qt., sheep or pig 2 ozs., dog 1 oz. A simple aqueous solution of calcined magnesia also forms with arsenic an insoluble combination.

CHRONIC ARSENICAL POISONING.

This comes from continuous injudicious dosing with arsenic, or from the condensing on the grass of the vapors from the smelting of ores containing arsenic.

Symptoms. There is chronic indigestion, emaciation, hide-bound, depilation, red or weeping eyes, chronic diarrhœa, suppression of milk in cows, muscular weakness, paraplegia, soreness of the gums, salivation.

The lesions are essentially the same only less intense than in the acute form. Hugo found in the intestines of poisoned animals a slimy, serous, grayish white fluid, and a false membrane like a frog spawn streaking the intestine. Later this may be dense like a diphtheritic membrane. There was fatty degeneration of the liver and of the gall bladder epithelium. Injection of the capillary vessels of the brain and pia, and effusion into the ventricles and on the surface of the brain were found in dogs.

Elimination. Arsenic is eliminated mainly in the urine, but also in part in the bile and perspiration.

Tests for Arsenic. When taken in the solid form it may be found undissolved on the gastric mucosa.

If burned on red hot charcoal or iron it gives out the odor of garlic.

Marsh’s test consists in evolving arseniureted hydrogen from zinc and sulphuric acid to which a little of the suspected liquid has been added. A flask is taken having a cork conveying two tubes, one a funnel reaching nearly the bottom of the flask, and the other a delivery tube of some length and provided with a chloride of calcium bulb, and at its end turned up at right angles and drawn out to form a narrow orifice. Pieces of zinc are placed in the bottom of the flask, and sulphuric acid is poured upon these through the funnel. This causes the evolution of hydrogen. The suspected liquid is now added, and the gas issuing from the delivery tube having been lighted, a piece of cold white porcelain is held above and a short distance from the flame. A dark metallic spot of arsenic is obtained. The stain obtained by antimony differs in being formed more closely to the flame, in volatilizing less rapidly under heat, and in forming a black or orange instead of the canary yellow sulphide when subjected to a stream of H_{2}S. with gentle heat. Chloride of lime dissolves the arsenic stain but has no effect on the antimonial one.

Treatment. Avoid the causes. Employ the antidotes in small doses once or twice daily. Check the diarrhœa by mucilaginous agents, and nourish the animals well.

POISONING BY PHOSPHORUS.

From matches, rat poisons, fatal dose, horse, ox, pig, dog, chicken. Symptoms: Anorexia, dysphagia, swelled tongue, thirst, colic, emesis, vomit phosphorescent, or bloody, diarrhœa, icterus, agalactia, trembling, weakness, choreic spasms, hemorrhages. Lesions: Buccal-gastro-intestinal inflammation, fatty degeneration of epithelium, liver, kidneys, heart and muscles, black blood, ecchymosis, hemorrhage, phosphorescent ingesta. Treatment: Emesis, stomach pump, oil of turpentine in mucilage.