with effusion of serum into the ventricles and
beneath the membranes. In the belladonna group, nil. In the alcohol
group, signs of inflammation, congestion of brain and membranes,
fluidity of blood, long-continued rigor mortis.

4. =Poisons Acting on the Spinal Cord.=--Strychnine, brucine, thebaine.
The leading symptom is tetanic spasm.

5. =Poisons Affecting the Heart.=--These kill by sudden shock, syncope,
or collapse. They comprise prussic acid, dilute solution of oxalic acid
and oxalates, aconite, digitalis, strophanthus, convallaria, and
tobacco.

6. =Poisons Acting on the Lungs.=--These have for their type carbonic
acid gas and coal gas. The fumes of ammonia are intensely irritating,
and may give rise to laryngitis, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. Nitric
acid fumes sometimes produce no serious symptoms for an hour or more,
but there may then be coughing, difficulty of breathing, and tightness
in the lower part of the throat, followed by capillary bronchitis (see
p. 120).

VI.--DUTY OF PRACTITIONER IN SUPPOSED CASE OF POISONING

If called to a case supposed or suspected to be one of poisoning, the
medical man has two duties to perform: To save the patient's life, and
to place himself in a position to give evidence if called on to do so.
If life is extinct, his duty is a simple one. He should make inquiries
as to symptoms, and time at which food or medicine was last taken. He
should take possession of any food, medicine, vomited matter, urine, or
faeces, in the room, and should seal them up in clean vessels for
examination. He should notice the position and temperature of the body,
the condition of rigor mortis, marks of violence, appearance of lips and
mouth. He should not make a post-mortem examination without an order in
writing from the coroner. In making a post-mortem examination, the
alimentary canal should be removed and preserved for further
investigation. A double ligature should be passed round the oesophagus,
and also round the duodenum a few inches below the pylorus. The gut and
the gullet being cut across between these ligatures, the stomach may be
removed entire without spilling its contents. The intestines may be
removed in a similar way, and the whole or a portion of the liver should
be preserved. These should all be put in separate jars without any
preservative fluid, tied up, sealed, labelled, and initialled. All
observations should be at once committed to writing, or they will not be