Reviews and Notices

Abstract

ute beore 1 P.m to enter the back kitchen with a cup in her hand, and was soon after found leaning apit the door, from which she slid down on the floor, as if im a fainting fit. A convulsion was described to me as having taken place, but this was not properly substantiated. The fellow-sevant, who saw her fall, immediately squired if she felt sick, to which no reply was made; and others coming in, she was carried up stairs to the bed where I foundier. The strong odour directed the servants to exame the bottle of almond essence kept by the cook in the kitchen cupboard for culinary purposes, when it was discovered that this, known to have boen previously full, was then almost empty; and a cup was afterwards found in the scullery, immersed in water, smelling of the almonds. On examining the bottle at my house, I found it would contain six drachms. There was no vendor's name -no warning label of " poison " on it-simply " essence of almonds"', stating that "a fetw drops" (not how many) to be used to flavour puddings and custards. Seventy minims remained in the bottle. As the case was so clear, no post mortem examination was demanded; but, on testing the contents of the stomach as drawn off by the pump, there was a powerful odour of the essence of almonds, confirmed by vapour-tests-placing thin glass, damped with solution of nitrate of silver, over a bottle of the fluid, with the temperature slightly raised, when the characteristic white film appeared; green, and subsequently blue, on the potassa sulphate of iron, and dilute vitriol. The white precipitate on the addition of solution of nitrate of silver, was dissolved out by heated strong nitric acid; the acid while cold having apparently no effect upon it. I mention this to confirm the observation of some toxicologists. The cup, which was brought to me some hours afterwards, had a less odour of almonds, having been some time in water in the sink; on one side covered with a whitish coating, which the family supposed might be arsenic. There was, however, only proof of the essence of almonds-not a trace of any mineral poisoning, on using sulphuretted hydrogen; while the white powdery stuff on the outside was found, under the microscope, to be starchgranules,from some amylaceous mixture with sugar,and displaying the characteristic tint on adding dilute tincture of iodine. My other occupations not admitting of my ascertaining the actual quantity of prussic acid contained in this precious "almond essence", I tried the more expeditious mode of administering ten drops to a full-;rown male rabbit; in less than a minute, the poor creature gave a piercing scream, such as I never heard from rabbit or hare in my sporting days; was then slightly convulsed, dropped slowly on its side, and, after a few heavy respirations and a little frothing from the month, expired; the pupils continuing widely dilated, and the muscles flaccid, even those of the lower jaw. On making an examination after it had been allowed to remain in the open air, exposed to frost and snow, for four and a half days, the blood was very dark and thick, though mostly fluid. The lungs were much congested; the ventricles of the heart empty, both auricles gorged with dark clots, beyond which, on the right side, the blood was of the consistence of syrup, and very dark. The stomach was filled with food; and, on opening it, there was a very perceptible odour of almond. The mucous membrane was pale, except a small amount of redness near the cardiac orifice. The liver did not present any unusual appearance. Putting the contents of the stomach through the proper tests, satisfactory evidence was established of the almond -essence. In the case of this cook, there was every reason to believe that at least fou.r drachms must have been taken, but whether by accident or design the jury could not determine, and presuming it to be of the strength usually sold as "almond flavour," i. e., one part of essential oil of almonds to seven or eight of spirit, would be equal to 125 drops of the diluted hydrocyanic acid of the London Pharmacopwia. No blame can well attach to the chemist -a most respectable prson-who .ld it-the ful es with the em of s. By most of the d inLi epo it s sold in any quantity askedor, s " peach avour", "almond essnce", " rtaa", pu ding Oavour", csum mut. a;ii", and they will can admit, that if the wa notice, "poison" were put on the bottles, few would be foolhardy enougf to drop in puddings or custards any flavour with that ominous dissyllable before them. Under the present system of retailing poisons as food, who can tell the amount of mischief done by ignorant and drunken cooks, whose delirium tremored fingers have to apportion out ad libitum, in custard or pudding, this subtle poison, under the disguise of a flavour. Our press will continue to teem weekly with such cases, until chemists are obliged to reply, something after the fashion of him of Mantua"Such mortal drugs I have; but Mantua's law Is death, to any he that utters them."