Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/132

108&#93; io; ] ARS with success, upon the aufhoiity of Dps. Fowlkr, Arnold, Wi- thkkinc'vVti i an ..Marsh, Tear- son, and many other respectable English and foreign practitioners, who do not hesitate to prescribe it in doses, from two to twelve drops, once, twice, or oftener in the course of the da)', according to the age, Strength, and other circumstances of the patient. A preparation similar to that di- rected by Dr. Fowler, and cahed the white tasteless ague-drop, has lately been given with singular effi- cacy in die hooping-cough. We re- late this fact upon the evidence of Mr. Corp, an eminent surgeon, of Barnet. Notwithstanding these remark- able and powerful effects of arsenic over the virulence of diseases, which appear to depend either on a speci- fic contagious miasma, such as is supposed to produce the ague and hooping-cough, or on a peculiar disposition of the fluids and solids, u> undergo a certain degree of de- composition in the living body, as is evident in canters and other malignant «Fcefs> — we are, on the combined testimony of many medical practitioners, equally cele- brated for their extensive practice and erudition, as they are conspi- cuous for their professional it al and integrity; irresistibly induced to declare our opinion, at least, against the internal use of this ac- tive and dangerous medicine. - Of the numerous authorities which n.ight be adduced in support of this declaration, we shall here avail ourselves only of the conclusive testimony of Dr. Elack, the late sist of solutions made of this virulent semi-metal. We trust, however, that previous to the publication of the third or fourth Number of our Work, we shall, by an accurate che- .i!)s.s. be enabled to.-.scertain the truth, or falsity of that assertion.— See Cak c er. ■of A RS professor of chemistry in the uni- versity of Edinburgh, who main- tains, that he has seen the internal exhibition of arsenic attended with fatal effect s, such as hectics, &c. ; nay, he declares, that though the external application of this sub- stance has, in some cases, proved- successful, it lias often, even in this way, produced dreadful conse- quences; so that, far from recom- mending it internally, he reprobates even the external use of this preca- rious drug. Hence we hope to be forgiven by those worthy medical practitioners, from whom no slight motives would induce us to differ : and unless it could be proved by a ^p/arc/ih/ of cases, that patients; after the taking of arsenic to some extent, have not only recovered from agues, cancers, hooping- cough, &:c. but that they have likewise attained to a considerable age, without ever having been sub- ject to paralytic, spasmodic, or phthisical disorders, we shall not be disposed to retract our opinion of its virulent and destructive tendency. Although we have deprecated the internal use of arsenic, both from the concurrent evidence of many other practitioners, and our own' experience, yet we shall at- tempt to prove, that there is actu- ally less danger to be apprehended from those accidents, when this corrosive poison has, by mistake, been swallowed, either in the form of a powder, or solution. And as it is frequently used for destroying rats, mice, and other troublesome animals ; for preparing sympathe- tic inks *, as well as for chemical tests j to discover the adulterations
 * See {he article Sympathet i € 1i»k.