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Show witrmyrttA ANu SUIUBeb. lug Death by Slow PoLonlnfl. hJ Ptlh1Tnnberof seeking smcide PlSSr? r? 8re few wh0 ln eough to kilT henuolTea by means of ammonia. Nevertheless ammonia, although it is tna actavo agent in most of the salts old to women for their gilt decorated and perfumed scent bottles, is poisonous when taken internally in a concentrated rorm. To attest this there have been recently in New York several cases, the most recent being that of Herman Haro-witz Haro-witz of which Deput y Coroner Jenkins said that death took place in a comparatively compara-tively short time after the ammonia was taken. In another case, that of a child, Dr. Jenkins said death resulted in five minutes after swallowing the ammonia solution. There are on record also cases of slow poisoning from ammonia administered with intent to commit murder. Furthermore, Further-more, the appearance of workmen in fuano factories, where ammonia is set free by grinding guano, has been noted, and in every case there is an unmistakable unmistaka-ble system of poisoning. This is discoloration discol-oration of the skin of the face, which assumes a blotched, dirty appearance. First to take on this appearance is the skin of the nose and forehead. Autopsies Autop-sies of those who die from ammonia poisoning poi-soning reveal a dark hue on the mucous membrane lining the stomach and intestines. intes-tines. As an agent for causing death by slow poisoning ammonia is one of the most certain and most difficult of detection, owing tjoits volatile nature. This quality has led physicians to believe that some of the mysterious deaths that have taken place in the history of modern and mediaeval crime are due to ammonia. It. is known now that months have elapsed between the first symptoms of sickness and the death of a person from ammonia poisoning. On the other hand, death has resulted in four minutes from tue timo a large draught of ammonia has been swallowed. It has been found in cases of gradual absorption of ammonia am-monia in the human system that there is a general elimination of healthy oxidation oxi-dation of the blood and a consequent lowering of the bodily strength. In the cases of immediate poisoning death comes with frightful agony, as in the case of Harowitz. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth. Statistics in England put ammonia thirteenth in frequency in the list of poisons. Alexander Winter Blyth, medical med-ical officer of health in the St. Maryle-bone Maryle-bone district, London, cites thirty cases of poisoning by ammonia swallowed for the purpose of committing suicide, or administered ad-ministered with the purpose of committing commit-ting murder, or absorbed unconsciously in food. Of the suicidal cases six were fatal. Of twenty accidental cases twelve were fatal. Of cases of murder with ammonia Dr. Blyth notes two, both of them children. New York Sun. , ( |