Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/134

no] ARS after it, plenty of sweet lintseed, or aimond-cil, either of which is pre- ferable to olive-oil j or, if these be not at hand, large draughts of milk, barley gruel, or warmed beer, with a third part of oil, or butter, ought to be substituted, as soon as possible. To facilitate the operation, a strong feather should be dipt in oil, for stimulating the tonsils. If the throat be swollen and contracted, a surgeon ought to be instantly procured, for open- ing the gullet by means of a probe, or other proper instruments. 2. To neutralize and deprive this corrosive poison of its activity, according to Dr. Hahnemann, nothing is more efficacious than a solution of white soap in hot wa- ter, in the proportion of half a pound of the former to a quart of the latter, which must be boiled, and the soap agitated, till the whole is dissolved ; when it may be sweetened with sugar. This preparation ought to be taken with- out delay, and so frequently as to repeat half a tea-cup full of it every five minutes, that the patient may swallow several pounds in the course of two hours. If hepatised water (prepared by pouring acids on the liver of sulphur, and satu- rating, with the ascending vapours, water contained in another vessel), could be readily procured, it would, with die addition of one half of thick cream, be an excellent substi- tute for the solution of soap. 3. To promote the evacuation of die poison by stool, clysters ccir posed of the preceding liquids, and a third part of castor-oil, ought to be speediiy administered, and the whole abdomen fomented with soap-water. 4. With a view to prevent local or general inflammation, beside ARS the fomentations, cataplasms, luke- warm baths and clysters, it will, perhaps, be necessary to bleed the patient largely, but not without consulting; medical men. II. Wlien a person has been slow- ly poisoned, or has swallowed only a small portion of arsenic; or, if the proper remedies should have leen neglecledfor several hours. In these cases, the judicious practitioner only can decide upon the relative propriety and expe- diency of the preceding remedies ; but if a considerable time has elapsed since the accident happen- ed, it will be necessary to com- mence the treaUnent with purga- tive remedies, such as will at the same time lubricate the coats of the stomach, and the whole intestinal canal, while they tend to assuage the acrimony, and counteract the corrosive effect produced on the first passages. Of this nature is, in a pre-eminent degree, the castor- oil, combined with large draughts, either of the hepatised or soap- watcis. A strictly antiphlogistic regimen ought now to be pursued, togedier widi the remedies proper to obviate inflammation, and after- wards a milk-diet, lintseed tea, barley-water, gruel, and infusions of different mucilaginous vegeta- bles, milk-chocolate without spice, aided by the enjoyment of fresh and pure air. III. Indications of cure, when the patient labours under a gradual and long-continued action of the poison ; or in the secondary stages of the two former casualties. The principal object now to be attained, is the destruction of poi- sonous matter in the second pas- sages, or to prevent its influence on the kidneys, biliary ducts, the organs of perspiration, kc. To ascer-