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198 DENTAL MEDICINE. ;

pression of urine, or bloody urine, and in females menorrhagia
rapid and feeble action of the heart, oppressed breathing, great
agitation and restlessness, shrunken features, cold breath, involun-
tary evacuations, collapse ; consciousness being retained to the end.
The symptoms of the cerebral form of arsenical poisoning are
profound insensibility and coma, similar to extreme opium
narcosis. The effects of arsenical poisoning, when not fatal, are
felt for a long time in the form of gastro-enteric irritability, an
irritable condition of the skin, stiffness of the joints, neuralgic
pains, numbness, formication, paralysis, etc.
After death from arsenical poisoning, the gastro-intestinal
mucous membrane exhibits deep redness, erosions, ecchymosis
and softening. Death generally occurs in the midst of convul-
sions, followed by rigid spasm of the whole body.
When arsenic has been injudiciously administered for too long
a period, in addition to the irritation of the conjunctiva, swelling
of the face, desquamation of the skin, etc., salivation has been
observed in some instances, and at times a peculiar silvery white-
ness of the tongue.
Dose.—Of arsenious acid, gr. ^^ to gr, J^, in pills with bread
crumb three times a day. Of liquor potassii arsenitis (Prowler's
Solution), Itlij to Hlx, three times a day ; each fluid drachm con-
tains half a grain of arsenious acid.
Arsenic is contraindicated in infancy and childhood ; in all
sthenic diseases accompanied by strong arterial action ; in all
irritable conditions of the stomach and alimentary canal ; and in
all inflammatory and pulmonary affections.
Therapeutic Uses.—In intermittent and periodic diseases, such
as malaria, neuralgia and spasmodic affections, being of great
value in neuralgia, especially when of a malarial type, hemicrania,
chronic rheumatism, asthma, whooping-cough, chorea, diseases
of the skin, vomiting of pregnancy, hay fever, irritative dyspepsia,
uterine affections, bites of venomous snakes, etc. Externally it
is applied to cancerous growths ; hypodermically, in cases of
local chorea.
Arsenic is also employed medicinally in the forms of arseniate
of iron (Ferri Arsenias) and arseniate of soda {Soda Jrsenias).