This substance is sold in a pure state in small wax-like cylinders, which must be preserved under water. It is soluble in oil, alcohol, ether, and chloroform, and still more so in carbon disulphide; it is luminous in the dark, and it ignites at a very low temperature, giving off a dense white smoke. Phosphorus is much more frequently used as a poison abroad than in England; but since restrictions have been put on the sale of poisons, and rat poisons containing it have been more common, cases of poisoning have more frequently occurred, and are likely to do so even oftener in future. The cases which have occurred show that it is a very powerful irritant, and capable of causing death when taken, even in small doses. One grain has caused death; the shortest period in which it has followed the administration of the poison being four hours.

The phosphorous paste sold consists of flour, sugar, and fat, with phosphorous, ordinarily colored with Prussian blue. Coloring matter is also generally present in lucifer-match tops, which contain phosphorus and chlorate of potash, or nitre; hence, the vomited matters after either of these has been swallowed may be variously colored. In the so-called “safety matches” the phosphorus is on the box and not on the match. Phosphorus does not readily lend itself to the purposes of the criminal, its luminosity, its taste, and its garlic odor rendering it difficult of concealment.

The symptoms of poisoning by phosphorus are very varied, often insidious. At first there may be merely the ordinary signs of irritant poisoning. The vomited matters are luminous in the dark, sometimes bilious, sometimes bloody. There is very great prostration, and there may be diarrhoea with bloody stools. These symptoms sometimes abate, and everything seems going on well, when suddenly a new train of symptoms, still more serious, develop themselves. These are such as would occur in the worst forms of blood poisoning: harsh, dry, yellow skin, with discharges of blood from the various passages, and the formation of extravasations below the skin. The urine is ordinarily retained or suppressed, what little there is being albuminous or bile-stained. Finally, acute delirium with convulsions sets in; the patient dies comatose a few hours after taking the poison, or it may be as many months.

The post-mortem appearances after death by phosphorus are very peculiar. If the case has proved rapidly fatal there will be the ordinary signs of irritant poisoning, with, in addition, softening of the stomach, bloody or gangrenous patches, blood in the intestines and bladder, and bloody serum in the peritoneal cavity. In many respects the lesions resemble those of the worst forms of sea scurvy; but the most marked changes are the remarkable fatty degeneration of the liver, kidneys, heart and other muscles, especially of the first, which is often greatly atrophied.

The diagnosis will depend on the peculiar odor of garlic exhaled by the patient and the luminosity of the vomited matters, in addition to the other signs referred to.

Treatment.—There is no regular antidote for phosphorus; early evacuation by the stomach-pump and the free promotion of vomiting are the main points. Magnesia or its carbonate should be given freely in mucilaginous fluids. Oils had better be avoided, except for the purpose of removing all traces of the poison by the stomach-pump. Prompt treatment is all in all.

Detection.—There is but one really satisfactory plan for detecting phosphorus in organic mixtures, that invented by Mitscherlich. The suspected material is introduced into a retort, and acidulated with sulphuric acid. The stem of the retort is conducted into a glass vessel kept cool by a stream of water on the outside. The retort is heated, and distillation allowed to go on in the dark. If phosphorus be present it passes over as vapor, and is condensed in the cool vessel beyond. At each condensation a flash of light is perceived, which is the test relied on.

Chronic Poisoning by phosphorus used to be exceedingly common among match manufacturers, but is now, comparatively speaking, rare, allotropic or amorphous phosphorus being much more generally employed than it used to be, and the ventilation of the workshops being better. Its subjects used to be attacked with caries of the gums, gradually extending and implicating the jaw, and giving rise to great deformity.