Note 224 — PART V.—MORE OR LESS VOLATILE POISONOUS SUBSTANCES CAPABLE OF BEING SEPARATED BY DISTILLATION FROM NEUTRAL OR ACID LIQUIDS. (continued 2)
Reading edition
This case is not uninteresting. Through a mistake in reading an extremely illegible prescription, M. S. S., æt. 21, was supplied by a druggist with the following mixture;—
℞. Benzole-Nit., ʒiij.
Ol. Menth, pep., ʒss.
Ol. Olivæ, ʒx.
gutt. xxx., t. ds.
He took on sugar seven doses, each of 20 minims, equalling in all 23 min. (or by weight 27·1 grains, 1·74 grm.) of nitro-benzene—viz., three doses on the first day, three on the second, and one on the morning of the third day. The first two days he was observed to be looking pale and ill, but went on with his work until the seventh dose, which he took on the third day at 9 A.M. About 2 P.M. (or six hours after taking the seventh dose), he fell down insensible, the body pale blue, and with all the symptoms already described in the text, and usually seen in nitro-benzene poisoning. With suitable treatment he recovered. The next morning, from 8 ounces of urine some nitro-benzene was extracted by shaking with chloroform.—Thos. Stevenson, M.D., in Guy’s Hospital Reports, MS., vol. xxi., 1876.