This substance is sold in a pure state in small wax-like cylinders, which must be preserved under 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 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 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. |