Citation

Hamill RC. Chicago medical examiner 1865; 6(11): 643-645.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1865)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

37473156

PMCID

PMC9997292

Abstract

June 20th, 1865.--Mrs. II., an Irishwoman, aged 25 years, procured at a drug store, on State street of this city, about one ounce of arsenious acid, mixed it in a teacup nearly full of cold water, stirring it well with her finger, then drank, immediately, the whole of it, with the exception of what remained in the bot tom of the cup. She did not wait for it to settle, and, accord ing to her account, there was not more than one or two drachms left in the vessel, so that she must have swallowed six or seven drachms. She coolly informed a neighbor that she had taken poison, left a message for her husband, and resigned herself to her bed to await the issue. I was summoned to her bedside) about 1 o'clock P.M., a half-hour after she had swallowed the poisonous draught. She complained of burning pain in the stomach, and pain in the head; pulse 50 and soft. I sent her husband to the nearest drug store for the hydrated per-oxide of iron and a bottle of lime-water. A mustard emetic was given immediately, which emptied the stomach in less than five min utes of more than a pint of semi-fluid ingesta and mucus. She had not eaten anything for more than 24 hours. Her husband returned, bringing only the lime-water--giv were given imme diately. The hydrated per-oxide of iron was eventually pro cured, at Dr. Mahla's drug store, on State street, and about 50 minutes after taking the arsenic, the first portion was given. (The preparation of iron was fresh, and moist or pulpy.) One tablespoonful was administered every five minutes, until four or five portions were taken, and the residue of five ounces was given, one tablespoonful every ten minutes...

Language: en