Case of Suffocation Produced l>y Sulphuric Acid.—The interest of
this case lies in the fact that death was caused by the action of the acid
on the respiratory passages, without touching the organs of digestion.
A woman was found dead in her bed-room ; she was seated on a chair,
her head bent back, resting on the bed, and drooping towards her right
shoulder. Her mouth was full of tough mucus, the lips, teeth, and
gums presented the appearance of being corroded by an acid. Her
right hand, placed across the body, held a small phial labelled sulphuric
acid, (^poison.') It contained about half a drachm of the acid. Death
had occurred a considerable time before; the extremities were already
cold.
Autopsy.—The tongue was contracted, the epiglottis corroded and re-
duced to a little triangular tongue with indented edges. The vocal
cords were destroyed, particularly the right. The mucous membrane of
the trachea was also removed, and the cartilages had the appearance of
being dissected. The acid had penetrated into the two lungs, attacked
the parenchyma, perforated the left pleura, destroyed the costal layer,
and roughened the subjacent ribs.
On the surface of the lung there was a layer of sulphate of lime; the
arch of the aorta, the superior cava, and the innominata veins contained
clots having the appearance of dried wax. No trace of acid could be
found in the stomach or oesophagus. The epithelial lining was quite
entire, and the stomach only contained some mucus.
Dr. Gall remarks, “ that he believes no similar case has been re-
corded. It is well known that the impression produced instantaneously
on the tongue by the caustic, occasionally causes contraction of the
pharynx sufficient to prevent deglutition, and death has been caused by
the progress of the inflammation and tumefaction of the pharyngeal
mucous lining and tonsils, when not a drop of acid has entered the
stomach; but no case has hitherto been recorded in which the acid had
penetrated into the bronchial tubes. Could this have been caused by a
fit of coughing raising the epiglottis, and drawing the liquid into the
trachea ? Probably enough, and the acid afterwards would have run
gradually into the minute ramifications of the tubes, causing corrosion
as it passed along.”—Glasgow Med. Journ. from Dr. Gall in Journal
de Chemie Medicale.