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MEDICAL/J^




FORENSIC MEDICINE



AND



TOXICOLOGY



BY

R. A. WITTHAUS, A. M., M. D.

Professor of Cliemistry, Toxicology and Medical Jurisprudence in Cornell University

AND

TRACY C. BECKER, A. B., LL. B.

Counsellor at Law.
Professor of Criminal Law and Medical Jurisprudence in the University of Buffalo

With tl>e Collaboration of

Art.rsx BECKER, ESQ.; A. L. BECKER, ESQ.; CHAS. A. BOSTON', ESQ.;

llox. GOODWIN BROWN; W. N. BULLARD, M.D.; G. C. CAMERON,

M.D.; J. CLIFTON EDGAR, M.D.; JAS. EWING, M. D.;

E. D. FISHER, M.D.; A. S. GEYSER, M.D.; J. C.

JOHNSON, M.D.; D. S. LAMB, M.D;

H. P. LOOMIS, M.D.; W. B. OUTTEN, M.D.; ROSWELL PARK, M.D.;

J. PARMEXTER, M.D.; IRVING C. ROSSE, M.D.; E. V.

STODDARD, M.D.; GEORGE WOOLSEY, M.D.;

J. H. WOODWARD, M.D.



VOLUME FOUR



NEW YORK
WILLIAM WOOD AND COMPANY

MDCCCCXI



COPYRIGHT, 1911
BY WILLIAM WOOD AND COMPANY




Printed and Electrotypcd

by The Maple Press

York, Pa.



TABLE OF CASES REFERRED TO IN
THIS VOLUME.



ADAMS, MRS., Case of. t'^

Ainu Suinio, Case of, 10'Jii

Andre, AiTuiiv, 877

Angus, Rex v., 1097

Ashford, Mary Ann, Reg. v., 1011)

H \KER, Reg. v., 711

Hall, Keg. '- 799

Harlow, Reg. v., 10.

Harriett and Dyson, Reg. r., ll.">l

Hateinan, Mary, Rex r., 733

Belaney, Reg. v., 800

Bellemey, alias Barnett, Rep. v., 354,

362

Benham, Peo. v., 207, 802
Benmore, Reg. v., 717
Bennett, Peo. r., 207, KUN
Berry, Rep. .. 733
Hianchini, Affaire, 871
Bibby, Ki-g. r.. (U'.i
Blackburn, Case of, 1021
Bluntly, Rex. r., 401. 403, l.V,
BocarmS, Affaire, 29, 155, 1003,

1006

Booth, May, Case of, 1023
Boothman, Reg. v., 316
Boroughs, Reg. v., "'.!
Boschieter Case, 148, 1178
Bowman, State v., 1022
Bowyer, Reg. v., 922
Bradford Lozenge Case, 69, 418
Brandes-Krebs, Process, 928
Bravo Case, 354
Breband, Affaire, 711
Bridon, Affaire, 733
Brinvilliers Poisonings, 22, 733
Brockmann, Case of, 25, 77, 414
Buchanan, Peo. v., 75, 208, 871, 951,

982
Buckle, Reg. v., 249, 1018



Buchoo, Case of, 1025
Huffenbarger Case, 505
Burdock, Reg. v., .~>M;
Burgess, Peo. v., 54, 75
Burke, Reg. v., 101 <i, K>:>f>
Butterfield, Rex v., 7:
Byers and Byers, Rex v., 04!)

CALLANDIXE, Reg. r., 1020

Canaby, Affaire, 1 _'(). r>(is, :,:,;,

Canovan, Reg. v., 10'_'7

Castaing, Affaire, 25, 2!), 950

Chantrelle, Reg. r., 9-19, 1119, 1120

Chapman, Com. v., 474

Chesham, Reg. v., 482

Clapp, Reg. v., 736

Clauderoy, Reg. v., 1091

Coates, Emma C., Case of, 1024

Cochrane, Reg. v., 828

Cole, Case of, 441

Converse (see Freet)

Cotton, Reg. v., 77, 4 H

Couvelance, Affaire, 432

Cox and Fournier, State v., 208, 355,

356, 362, 367
Cream, Case of " Dr.," 78
Cream, Peo. v. (see Neill), 1023
Cronin, Reg. v., 7!))
Cumnock Shortbread Case, the,

1028

DANIEL, Reg. v., 736
Danton, Affaire, 801
Delaporte, Affaire, 1023
Delcomhre, Jeanne, Affaire, SO'.'. V'!>
Deffarge, Peo. v., 75
Deinine-Tniinpy, Fall, 1019
Denisty, Affaire. 230, 279, 287
Devereaux, Heg. r., 951
Dickman, Reg. v., 828
Dinsmore, Frank, State v., 229



ill '



74O172



IV



TABLE OF CASES.



Donellan, Rex. v., 795, 800

Dore and Spry, Reg. v., 431, 483

Dove, Reg. v., 1018

Druaux, Affaire, 1114, 1119, 1130

Dupuy, Affaire, 708, 711

Dutt, Empr. v., 1189

Dyer, State v., 1023

EDMUNDS, Reg. v., 1020
Edwards, Reg. v., 715, 717
Eldridge, Peo. v., 474

FISHER, Reg. v., 800

Flannagan, Reg. v., 77

Fleming, Peo. v., 148, 209

Ford, Peo. v., 518, 574

Foster, Reg. v., 482

Franklin and Randall, Reg. v., 67, 578

Freeman, Reg. v., 353

Freeman, Rex v., 800, 804

Freet and Converse, State v., 1019

Fritz, Peo. v., 75

GALTIE, Affaire, 555
Gaudot,. Affoire, 579
Gavan, Reg. v., 329 .
Gaylor, Reg. v., 276
Gloeckler, Affaire, 139, 456
Goersen, Com. v., 399, 425
Gottfried, Case of, 25, 77, 414
Green, State v., 1017
Griffin, Peo. v., 1025
Grisard, Affaire, 1019
Groocock, Mrs., Case of, 1021
Gu<ho, Affaire, 711
Guy, Reg. v., 401

HALL, Reg. v., 355, 362

Halloway and Chase, State v., 1026

Hamilton, Reg. v., 949

Harbaum, Case of, 789

Harden, State v., 401

Hardmann, Reg. v., 353, 362

Hargreaves, Reg. v., 736

Harrington, Peo. v., 518

Harris, Peo. v., 75, 214, 951, 982

Hartung, Case of, 481

Hartley, Reg. v., 232

Hayden, F. E., Com. v., 461, 467



Hayden, H. H., State v., 397
Haydon, Reg. v., 328
Haynes, Reg. v., 276
Heggi, Peo. v., 75
Hendricks, State v., 1022
Hendrickson, Peo. v., 853
Henke, Case of, 416
Hennah, Reg. v., 54, 55
Hersey, Com. v., 1019
Hickman, Reg. v., 960, 981
Higbee Case, 578
Higgins, Reg. v., 77
Hodgson, Peo. v., 734
Holmes, Reg. v., 456
Hoops, Arthur F., Peo. v., 802
Horsford, Reg. v., 1027
Hoyet, Affaire, 1025
Hume, Reg. v., 715, 717
Hunter, Reg. v., 456, 478
Humphreys, Jean, Case of, 214
Hyde, State v., 65, 1029
Hyeres poisonings, 69

J. B ., Affaire, 1113

Jahn, Doctor, Case of, 922

Jarrey, Reg. v., 1019

Jennie Cramer, Case of (see Malley),

201

Jones, v. Fay, 724
Joniaux, Affaire, 951
Journy, Affaire, 1074

KALEY, Reg. v., 733

Kavanagh, Reg. v., 949

Keefe and Turner, Reg. v., 715, 717

Kerr, State v., 1178

Kessler, Peo. v., 456

Kidder, Peo. v., 1096

King, Reg. v., 1021

Kline, Maggie, State v., 1016

Klose Case, 496

Klowsowski, Rex v., 355

Kluhn, State v., 1026

Kropf Fall, 1020

LACOSTE, Affaire, 526, 529
Lamson, Reg. v., 853, 856, 861, 862,

863

Langford, Reg. v., 1020
Lapeyre, Affaire, 711



TABLE OF CAM-.-.



Lebkuchner, Poo. r., 7.">
I.'Heritier, Affaire, 801
Lichtemberg, Affaire de, 270
Linden c. il <M-e S wanenberg)
Lip>ki. Reg. v., 230, 272. 308
Lloyd, State v., 428

.re, Doctor, Case of, 938
I. oft house, Reg. v., 447
I, Peo. r., 102!)

MACDONALD, Reg. v., 829
Macleod, Reg. v., 950
Ma goon, State v., 1021
Major, State v., 1021
Manchester Cal> My.-trry. 1177
.Mann. R.-i:. ,., 715, 717
Marki. 913

i and Buzze.ll, State r., 456
Martin. Mary, Case of, 1023
Martind, Affaire, 1024
Massey and Ferrand, Reg. v., 1093
Masson and Coleman, Reg. r., '.) !'.>
Maybrick, Reg. v., 215, 218, 42<>, 42S,

456, 463, 467, 478, 494, 508, 518,

519,
McAllister, Death, and Campbell,

State 9., 1 is, 1178
MeConkey, Reg. v., 853
MrCormick, Case of, 1021
Mc< Yacken, Reg. v., 496
MeCraney, Peo. v., 432
Mi-Mullen. !{.:. P., 353, 356, 362
Mr.llicott, State v., 950
Meeker an. I Meeker, State r., 67, 202,

1023

Mereier, Affaire, 483
Merle. Affaire, 717
Merrihew, Peo. r., 1022
Metivier. Affaire, 639
Meyer. Peo. r.. 7.">. 77, 355, 362, 576
Millard, Peo. v., 574
Molineaux, 1'eo. r., 75, 742
Moore, Reg. r., 736, 1097
Moreau, Affaire. 70S, 713
MorrN. Ueir. r

102.")

NUM.. Reir. r. (see Cream), 78,
1026, 1032



Newton, Reg. r., 198, 496
Nichols, 1'eo. r., 7.)
Noakes, Reg. r., !S55
Northrup, Peo. r.. M.'.

()HKH-T(ii)TMAN.\, Case of, 456

Ol.lham Case, 7:::;

Otto Case, 581

Overbury, Sir Thomas, Case of, 733

PALETHORPE, Reg. r., 94!)
Palmer, Ann, Case of, 353, 362
Palmer, Reg. v., 135, 363, 800, 1017,

1032, 1068

Panchenko-DeLassy Case, 65
Parton, Reg. v., 1178
Pascoe, Reg. v., K> ( .'7
Pastre-Beaussier, Affaire, 77, 121,

50S, 541

Patrick, Peo. v., 75, 137, 207.. 1147
Patterson, William, Rex r., 733
Paul v. Travellers' Insurance Co., 03
Pel, Affaire, 77, 203, 414, 427
Perine, Crisfield v., 136
Peterson, Peo. v., 1189
Phares, State v., 1028
Poindron, Affaire, 279
Poirier, Affaire, 1113
Pommerais, Affaire, 1082
Pont de Beauvoisin, Affaire de, 1032
Pouchon, Affaire, 717
Pralet, Affaire, MM
Praslin, Due de, Case of, 45"). lv_'.

526, 553

Preller- Maxwell Case, 1146
Pritchard, Reg. ., 354, 362, 366

QUENAIIDEL, Affaire, 279

RAMIER, Affaire, 353
Ramus, Affaire, 801
Reed, Com. v., 1025
Reger Case, 1 1 .">
Reynolds, Reg. r., 711
Rhymes, Case of, 4 .VI
Uice, Case of, 11 (7
Richards. 9. < 'oeking, 783
Richardson. State r., 1018
Riddle Case. -42s
Rittinghauscn, Affaire, 708



VI



TABLE OF CASES.



Bobbins, State v., 1018
Robbins v. State, 1018
Robinson, Case of, 783
Robinson, Com. v., 77
Rodanbosh, Reg. v., 1095
Rogers, Case of, 1146
Rouan, Affaire, 1025
Royal, Reg. v., 1114
Russel and Leny, Rex v., 454

SAGER, State v., 447

Salisbury, Peo. v., 1019

Schmidmaier, Case of, 456, 480

Schmit, Affaire, 1119

Schultz Case, the, 1026

Seaham, Reg. v., 736

Shann, Mattie C., State v., 139, 203,

734

Smethurst, Reg. v., 353, 362
Smith, Reg. v., 711, 740
Smith, Azenath, Reg. v., 1017
Smith, Elijah, Case of, 1023
Smith, Madeleine, Reg. v., 214, 399,

402, 416, 462, 497, 519
Smith, Mary, Rex. v., 451
Somers, Reg. v., 232, 279
Sonzogno Case, 999
Sorroghan, Reg v., 232
.Soufflard, Case of, 28, 78, 477, 485,

497

Spara, Case of, 21
Speichert Case, 504, 571
Sprague, Reg. v., 223, 868, 870
Stannard Case (see Hayden), 201
Stansfield, Reg. v., 1021
Steele, Reg. v., 870
Stephens, Peo. v., 75
Stewart and Stewart, Rex v., 949
Stickles, State v., 1022
Stokes, Peo. v., 97, 210
Stone, Peo. v., 950
Struth, Reg. v., 829
Sturt, Reg. v., 410
Sutton, Jane, Case of, 829
Swanenburg, Case of, 25, 77,' 414,

505
SupeVieure de Saint Saturnin, Affaire,

690



TARBE DES SABLOUS, Affaire, 1121
Tawell, Reg. v., 800
Taylor and Taylor, Reg. v., 717
Taylor, Louisa Jane, Reg. v., 71 5, 717
Thomas, Peo. v., 493
Thompson, Reg. v., 800
Thormahlen, Anna, Case of, 951
Toffana, Case of, 21
Tollner, Case of, 456
Torkington, Reg. v., 949
Toulza, Affaire, 1022
Troppmann, Affaire, 801
Trumpy (see Demme)

U. S. MtiT. Ace. INS. Co. v. Nora

Newman, 63

Urbino de Freitas, Case of, 951
Ursinus, Case of, 25, 77, 414, 504

VAMPLEW, Reg. v., 1019
Vaughn and Hull, State v., 1029
Volckmer, Peo. v., 75, 951
Vosburgh, State v., 354
Vyse, Reg. v., 1018

WAINWRIGHT, Case of, 1014
Walker, Reg. v., 800
Walkup, Case of, 519
Walsh, Reg. v., 733
Wardell, Peo. v., 1119
Waters, Reg. v., 950
Watkins, Reg. v., 843
Weber, Affaire, 842
Welbeck, Cases at, 1104
Wharton, State v., 209, 354, 362
Whiteling, Com. v., 77
Williams, Peo. v., 75
Williams, Reg. v., 456, 556
Wilson, Catherine, Reg. v., 232, 242
Wilson, Reg. v., 914
Winslow, Reg. v., 353, 362
Wishart, Rex v., 475, 494
Woodford, Reg. v., 949
Woodward, State v., 1027
Wooler, Reg. v., 456, 515
Woudreton, Case of, 412
Wren, Reg. v., 1029

ZWANZIGER, Case of, 25, 77, 414,
504



CONTENTS.



PAGE

TABLE or CASES ........ Hi

OLOGY. K. A. WIT-THAIS. 3

INTRODUCTORY, ...... ............ 5

Historical, ................ . 5

Bibliographical, ................... 30

GE.NKKU. TOXICOLOGY, .......... 50

Definition of Poison, ................. 50

Causation of Poisoning, ................ 64

Statistics of Poisonings, ...... .71

Absorption of Poisons, ...... .78

Distribution of Poisons, ........ SS

Methods of Action of Corrosives and Poisons ...... 89

Kliminatinn of Poisons, .......... 108

Treatment of Poisoning, .......... 110

Prognosis of Poisoning, ................ 118

idence in Cases of Murder by Poison, ... .118

Evidence from the Living Body, ...... . . 121

Duties of Physician in Cases of Poisoning, . 1 -7

Evidence from the Dead Body, ........ 1'i-

Evidence from the Presence of Poison in the Cadavn. 1 lit

Post-mortem Imbibition, ............. !''

Forensic Questions, ............ -01

Classification of Poisons, ........ _'_' I



............... . 227

Corrosives, . . ............... 'J-7

Mineral Acids. ......... 227

Sulfuric Acid. ............... 242

Hydrochloric Acid, ................ 276

Nitric Acid, ....."........ 293

Other Mineral Acids. . 308

Fixed Mineral Alkalies, . :*1 1

Ammonium Hydroxid, etc., .............. {-'

The Halogens, ....................

MINERAL POISONS, ................... :>">

Antiinoiiials. ................... :U.">

. \r-cnir-t! P(iin> ................... : ^1

Elementary Arsenic, ............... 382

vii



Viii CONTENTS.

PAGE

Hydrogen Arsenid, , 387

Arsenic Trioxid, 394

Arsenical Poisoning, 410

Acute Arsenical Poisoning, 434

Chronic Arsenical Poisoning, 507

Arsenophagia, 513

Absorption, Elimination, etc., 522

Forensic Questions, 557

Arsenical Greens 577

Sulfids of Arsenic, 584

Arsenates, 586

Organic Compounds of Arsenic, 587

Analytical, 593

Phosphorus, 630

Hydrogen Phosphid, 679

Chronic Phosphorus Poisoning, 681

METALLIC POISONS, _ 682

Barium, 682

Bismuth, 686

Chlorates, 690

Chromates, 701

Copper, 705

Lead (Acute Poisoning), 715

Mercury, . 721

Acute Mercurial Poisoning, 745

Chronic Mercurial Poisoning, 771

Analytical, 773

Zinc, 782

VEGETABLE POISONS, 789

Acids, 789

Acid of the Acetic Series, 789

Hydrocyanic Acid and Cyanic Poisons, 791

Oxalic Acid, 825

Tartaric Acid, 842

Alkaloidal Poisons, 845

Aconite and Aconitin, . . . 847

The Atropa Group, 863

Cocain, 893

Colchicum, .... 910

Coniin and Conium

Other Poisonous Umbelliferous Plants,

Gelsemium,

Morphin and Opium,

Nicotin and Tobacco,

Strychnin and Nux Vomica, 1

Veratrum, Veratin, etc 1072



COV11M-. IX

PAGE

Glucosidal Poisons, . 1080

Digitalis, etc., 1080

Miscellaneous Vegetable Poisons, 1088

Camphor, 1088

Cocculus Indicus, . . 1090

Croton Oil 1093

Essential oils, 1094

A MMAL POISONS 1100

Poisonous Foods, 1100

Cantharides, 1113

\TIIKTIC POISONS, 1116

Carbon Monoxid, 1116

Chloroform, 1144

Chloral Hydrate, 1176

Phenols, 1185

Nitrobenzene, 1212

. 1225



TOXICOLOGY.



BY

R. A. WITTHAUS, A.M., M. D.

Professor of Chemistry, Toxicology and Medical Jurisprudence in Cornell

University; Kmeritus Professor of Medical Chemistry and

Toxicology in the University of Vermont.



INTRODUCTION.



HISTORICAL.

IT seems probable that the deleterious qualities of poisonous
plants and the effects of the bites of venomous reptiles must
have been recognized by prehistoric man at a time long ante-
dating the historical period. The most ancient writings which
have come down to us, if they deal with things medical, indi-
cate a knowledge of toxicology in the early civilization of Egypt
and India. Duteil 1 has interpreted a passage in an extremely
ancient papyrus in the Louvre as follows: "Speak not of the
name of Yao under the penalty of the peach," from which
it would, be difficult to draw any other inference than that the
Egyptian priests were acquainted with the preparation of a
poisonous substance (hydrocyanic acid) from peach leaves or
kernels with which those who betrayed the secrets of the priest-
hood were destroyed. The papyrus Ebers 2 also makes mention
of both mineral and vegetable poisons (lead, antimony, copper,
opium, hyoscyamus) without, however, referring to their poi-
sonous qualities.

The translations of the early Sanskrit medical writings con-
tained in the Ayur-Yeda (ca. B. c. 900?) and the commentaries
thereupon (Shastras) of Charaka and Sushruta (ca. B. c. 600?)
which have been made by Wise, 3 indicate an extensive knowl-
edge of poisons among the Hindus of that early period. The
Ayur-Veda contained a division treating of the administration
of antidotes for poisons, and of the prevention of the effects
of the diseases produced by mineral, vegetable, and animal poi-
sons, and by the bites of venomous serpents, insects, etc. The

Flandin: "Tr. d. Poisons," Par., '"Commentary on the Hindu
1846, i., :U; Hoefer, "Hist. d. 1. System of Medicine," T. A. Wise,
1 i- . ' Par., 1842, i., 226. Calcutta, 1845.

pyros Ebers," Joachim, Ber-
lin, 1-



6 TOXICOLOGY WITTHAUS.

Shastras of Charaka and Sushruta contain sections devoted to
poisons and their antidotes (kalpa, panata) in which the actions
of vegetable, animal, and mineral poisons are described, 1 includ-
ing a lucid account of alcoholic intoxication, and the following,
which we quote to show that criminal poisoning was then
guarded against:

" It is necessary for the practitioner to have a knowledge of the symp-
toms of the different poisons and their antidotes. As the enemies of
the Raja, bad women, and ungrateful servants sometimes mix poison
with food. On this account the cook should be of good family, virtu-
ous, faithful, and not covetous, nor subject to anger, pride, or laziness.
. '. . The practitioner should have like qualities, with an intimate
knowledge of poisons; and should examine the food to be eaten by a
Raja in the cooking room. This should be large, airy, light, and sur-
rounded with faithful servants, and no one should be allowed to enter
unless he is first examined. ... A person who gives poison may be
recognized. He does not answer questions, or they are evasive answers ;
he speaks nonsense, rubs the great toe along the ground, and shivers;
his face is discolored; he rubs the roots of the hair with his fingers;
and he tries by every means to leave the house. The food which is
suspected should be first given to certain animals, and if they die, it
is to be avoided."

Apart from references to the venom of serpents, 2 Mosaic
history contains but few allusions to poison, 3 but it is not
probable that the Hebrews during the Egyptian captivity failed
to acquire some knowledge of the action of poisons. The " bitter
water" 4 and "water of gall," 5 used by the Hebrews as an ordeal
and for punishment, must have contained some poison, at least
in those cases in which it possessed any efficacy. 6

The Greeks at a very early period were acquainted with the
action of poisons and venoms. Homer relates that Ulysses 7
sought to obtain from Ephyra a poison (<f>apfw.Kov dvSpo^ovov) with
which to anoint his arrows; and, according to Ovid, 8 the ar-
rows of Hercules were charged with the venom of the Ler-
neian serpent. It is from the use of poisons in this manner that



1 Wise, I. c., pp. 391-412. 4 Numbers y. 17-28.

2 Gen. iii. 15; Deut. xxxii. 24, 33. 5 Jeremiah ix. 15.

3 See " Hierobotanicon," O. Cel- 6 Cf. also Mark xvi. 18.
sius, Upsala, 1745, i., 8, 78; ii., 23, 7 "Od.," i., 261.

119, 408. 8 " Metam.," ix., 158.



INTRODUCTION. 7

the word "toxicology," common to most modern languages, is
derived. 1 Hecate, the daughter of Perseus, is said by Diodorus
Siculus to have been skilled in the preparation of poisons; to
have discovered that called aconite, 2 and to have tested the virtues
of her preparations by mixing them with the food of her guests.
Having acquired great experience in the art, she poisoned her
husband. Her daughters, Circe and Medea, also became pro-
ficient in toxicology, and the former profited by her mother's
example, and removed her husband by the same means. 3 To
protect himself from the poisons and spells of Circe, Ulysses
obtained from Hermes an herb with black root and milk-white
flower, which acted as a narcotic. 4

In the historical period there are numerous evidences of an
early knowledge of the action of poisons among the Greeks and
neighboring nations. It is related by Plutarch 5 that Alexander
the Great (B. c. 333) drank the medicine offered by his physi-
cian, Philip, and recovered, although he had been warned that
Philip had been bribed to poison him. Xenophon (ca. B. c.
400) relates that the use of poison was so frequent among the
Medes that it was an ancient custom for the cup-bearers to
taste of the wine before presenting it to the king, and that
among the Persians the children were instructed in the proper-
'>f plants that they might know which were deleterious. 8
Of the fifteen orations of Antiphon (born ca. B. c. 480) one was
in the matter of an accusation of poisoning. 7 Among the Athe-
nians an indictment for poisoning (0ap/naxwv rcl <ap/icucaas ypa^)

was tried before the Areiopagus, and a malicious intent was a
necessary ingredient of the crime, for which the punishment
was death. Women appear to have been most addicted to the
crime of poisoning in the Grecian period, as they are at the



a how; rogurfo. for the 'Diodorus Siculus, "Hist.," iv.,

how; from which Dioscorides 45.

\iph.. xx.) derived the name 4 "Od.," x.. :;<).">; v., 236. Theo-

Tot6r (<pA.pnnKov) to apply to the phrastus ami Dioseorides consider

i with which the barbarians this n>\v to have been a species of

smeared their arrows. garlic. I'liny, " Hist. Nat.." xxv., 8.

- Whether this was the plant now " Vit. Alexandri." c. 1!.

known under this name or some ' "Cyropa-dia." i., 3; viii., 8.

other (possibly conium) is not ' Knrrryopla ^o^uuriias icard rip
known. The Latin writers used the
won! to refer to poisonous plants in
general (Virgil, "Cleor.," ii., 152).



8 TOXICOLOGY WITTHAUS.

present time. 1 The earliest works extant, treating specially of
poisons, are the "Theriaca" and " Alexipharmaca" of Nicander,
written between B. c. 185 and B. c. 135, 2 which, although con-
taining much that is fabulous, set forth so wide a knowledge of
the effects of many vegetable, animal, and mineral poisons that
it is impossible to doubt that the work of Nicander was but the
expression in poetical form of information previously obtained
by an extensive experience with the agents whose effects he de-
scribes, probably by others whose writings, if such existed,
have been lost. Indeed, the "History of plants" of Theo-
phrastus, 3 written about B. c. 300, contains many references to
the poisonous as well as the medicinal action of the vegetable
poisons, including most of those mentioned by Nicander.

Hemlock was used among the Greeks for the execution of
criminals, both at Athens and at Marseilles, 4 then a Greek
colony, 5 and was the means of execution of Socrates, B. c. 339. 6
It is also related by Valerius Maximus 7 that the senate of Mar-
seilles kept hemlock at the disposal of those who wished to de-
stroy themselves for reasons which the senate deemed to be ade-
quate. In B. c. 317 Olympias, widow of Philip of Macedon,
having captured her rival Eurydice, sent to the latter, in her
prison a sword, a rope, and a cup of hemlock with orders to
choose her mode of death. 8

"The Materia Medica" of Dioscorides, written in the first
century of our era, 9 which, with the commentary of Matthio-

1 See the oration of Antiphpn destroyed was in fact conium macu-
above, and Kennedy, Smith's " Die- latum was a question among the ear-
tionary of Greek and Roman An- lier toxicologists. Wepfer ("Hist,
tiquities," London, 1870, p. 895; Cicut. Aquat.," vi. Ed., Basil.,
Friedreich's " Bl. f. ger. Anthrop.," 1679, p. 5) gives a full account of
1850, i., 65; 1853, i., 40; 1854, ii., the controversy. The evidence ap-
32, 78. pears to be in favor of the affirma-

2 Poems in hexameter verse. The tive, as is shown by Schultze:
QrjpiaKd of nearly a thousand lines, "Toxicologia Veterum," Halle,
and the 'AXei0dp/*aKa of more than 1788, p. 34, s. 2, and particularly by
six hundred lines. Imbert-Gourbeyre : La Mort de

3 Ilepi <f>vr&v Iffropla. The best Socrate, " Paris, 1876.
editions are those of Bodseus a ' Lib. xxi., cap. 6.

Stapel, fol., Amstelod., 1644, and 8 Diodorus, xix., 11; Justin., xiv.,

Schneider, 5 vols., Lips., 1818-21. 5; Julian, V. H., xiii., 36.

4 Cicuta quoque venenum est pu- 9 The first Greek edition, fol.,
blica Atheniensium poena invisa, Venet., 1499, ap. Aldum Manutium;
ad multa tamen usus non omittendi. the first Latin translation, attrib-
Pliny, " Hist. Nat., " xxv., 95. uted to Petrus Aponensis, fol.,

8 Valerius Max., ii., 6. Colle, 1478. Of the numerous later

6 Diogenes Laertius, ii. Whether editions probably the best is that of
the poison by which Socrates was Saracenus, fol., Francof., 1598.



INTRODUCTION. 9

X

lus 1 remained the standard work upon the subject down to the
sixteenth century, contained a treatise on poisons and their
antidotes. 1

The search for antidotes was probably coeval with the dis-
covery of the deleterious effects of poisons. The earliest refer-
ences to the use of counter-poisons are those contained in the
Odyssey 8 and in the Shastras. 4 Theophrastus and Nicander also
direct what remedies shall be used to combat the effects of poisons.
It w;is in the first century B. c., however, that the idea of an-
tagonizing the action of one poison by another, or by habitua-
tion, was first developed. According to Galen 5 Zopyrus, a
physician of Alexandria, invented an antidote which he recom-
mended to Mithridates, king of Pontus; and Celsus refers to a
similar composition which the same physician prepared for one