Benzinum Nitricum
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Nitro-benzine ("essence of mirbane," or "artificial" oil of bitter almonds).
Formula
, C12H5
NO4 . Prepared by heating Benzol with Nitric acid; the oily fluid formed is washed and rectified; it is miscible with Alcohol, has an odor of bitter almonds, and is very poisonous.
Authorities.
1 , Treulich, Wien Med. Presse, 11, 13, two cases poisoned by taking about half a thimbleful; 2 , Bahrdt, Archiv f. Deutsch. Heilk., 1871, poisoned by drinking about six drops in some liquor; 3 , Letheby, London Hosp. Rep., 1865, J. E. spattered some on his clothes, so that he inhaled the fumes; 4 , Ibid., G. G. took a little in his mouth by mistake; he immediately spit it out and rinsed his mouth with water; 5 , Ibid., H. A. took a little in his mouth to remove the smell of tobacco; 6 , Ibid., a woman cooked some food in a cup which had contained Nitro-benzol; 7 , Kreuser, Wurt. corr. Bl., 37 (A. H. Z., M. B., 16, 48); 8 , Riefkhol, Deutsch. Kl., 1868; 9 , Schenk, Zeit. f. Ger. Med., 1866, a pregnant girl poisoned herself; 10 , Muller, ibid., a young man took a teaspoonful in water; 11 , Helbig, Deutsche. Mil. Arz., 3, 1873, several soldiers drank some from a flask.
MIND
- Extreme mental excitement (after two hours), 5.
- Inability to think connectedly, 5.
- Unconscious (after a quarter of an hour), 10.
- Unconscious, with leaden color, livid lips, moderately warm skin, and weak, irregular pulse, 6.
- Unconscious, with livid face, purple lips, dilated pupils, slow, difficult, and scarcely perceptible respiration, and death, 4.
- Loss of consciousness, 2.
- Loss of consciousness, fell from her chair (after half an hour), 6.
- Loss of consciousness for twenty-four hours, 2.
- Comatose some hours, 1. [10.]
- Complete coma, which appeared suddenly, 3.
- Profound coma, with livid, purple face, closed eyes, moderately dilated pupils, cold skin, difficult, slow respiration, pulse small, slow or accelerated, irregular, 8.
HEAD
- Vertigo, 4, 11.
- Vertigo and headache, 1.
- Headache, 7.
- Sensation of formication under the scalp, or as if the hair was bristling up, 1.
EYES AND EARS
- The white of the eye had a livid look, vessels greatly enlarged, pupils much dilated, insensible to the light, 9.
- Strabismus, 11.
- Staring eyes, 7.
- Lids closed, 2. [20.]
- Great injection of the conjunctiva bulbi, 11.
- Eyeballs roll from right to left constantly, 7.
- Eyeballs constantly roll on their vertical axis, 2.
- The eyeballs showed a constant turning inward and outward in a slow regular motion, with the visual axes perfectly parallel, 2.
- Eyeballs seemed enlarged, 9.
- Pupils dilated, 1, 3 , etc.
- Pupils dilated, sluggish, 2.
- Violent roaring in the ears, and sounds, 1.
FACE
- Expression stupid, 3.
- Stupid expression of face (after four hours), 4. [30.]
- He looked stupid and sick (after four hours), 3.
- Face puffy, swollen, and had a relaxed look, 9.
- Cyanotic face, 1.
- Face cyanotic (fourth hour), 4.
- Face blue, 2.
- Blue color in the face (after twenty minutes), 11.
- Face blue and pale, 7.
- Face bluish-gray sunken, 11.
- Face red, 3.
- Face red, with purple lips and cold skin (after two hours), 5. [40.]
- Trismus, 2.
- Trismus and tetanus, 11.
- Lips of a dark blue color, 11.
MOUTH
- Tongue white, somewhat swollen, 3.
- Tongue thick and soft, 9.
- Mouth clenched, 10.
- Mucous membrane of lips and mouth livid and swollen, 9.
- Stammering speech, 7.
STOMACH AND ABDOMEN
- Burning in throat and stomach, 1.
- Nausea (after four hours), 3. [50.]
- Inclined to vomit, 1.
- Vomiting, 2.
- Vomiting (after half an hour), 2.
- Vomiting while unconscious, 1.
- Vomited what he had eaten (after four hours), 4.
- Pains in the abdomen, 2.
RESPIRATORY APPARATUS
- Sighing respiration, 1.
- Respiration rattling, frequently interrupted, 11.
- Respiration regular, somewhat difficult; on auscultation, mucous râles in the large bronchi, 9.
- Respiration short and rapid (after three hours), 5. [60.]
- Respiration exceedingly slow, so that it frequently seems to cease, 3.
- Respiration and pulse continued to become slower until the patient died, 3.
- Respiration very superficial and slow, 2.
- Dyspnœa (after two hours), 5.
- Respiration difficult, catching, and accelerated, 10.
CHEST
HEART AND PULSE
- Heart exceedingly irregular (after two hours), 5.
- Palpitation (after half an hour), 6.
- The heart beat 120 a minute; carotid and temporal arteries pulsating, 9. [70.]
- Pulse small, rapid, 1.
- Pulse 100, very weak, and irregular, 2.
- Pulse 130, weak, and intermitting (after two hours), 5.
- Pulse full and slow, 3.
- Pulse scarcely perceptible, 11.
NECK
EXTREMITIES
- Twitchings in the hands and feet, 2.
- Twitchings in arms, 2.
- Arms spasmodically flexed, 2. [80.]
- Arms spasmodically flexed, sometimes extended, 2.
- Arms spasmodically flexed at first, afterwards relaxed, 10.
- Finger nails colored blue, 11.
GENERALITIES
- Gait tottering and uncertain, as if intoxicated, 3.
- Tottering gait, and tendency to fall, 11.
- He walked like a drunken man, staggering here and there, 3.
- Violent convulsions, 7.
- Convulsions paroxysmal, 1.
- Convulsions and loss of consciousness; the head sunk upon the shoulder; purple lips, and clenched teeth; the eyes closed (sixth hour), 3.
- Chronic cramps and tetanus, 11. [90.]
- Tetanic convulsions, relieved for a few minutes by dashes of cold water, and followed by deep coma, 5.
- Tetanic spasms of the flexor muscles, especially of the upper extremities and of the masticators, 9.
- Faintness, 2.
- Sinking, 2.
- Was obliged to lie down on account of exhaustion (after half an hour), 5.
- Symptoms come suddenly, several hours after taking, 3.
SKIN
- The skin, especially the face and neck, also of the extremities, was livid, 9.
- Skin bluish-gray, 2.
- Skin dry and cyanotic, lips blue, 10.
- Irritability of the skin completely lost, 8.
SLEEP AND DREAMS. [100.]
FEVER
CONDITION
- Amelioration.
- ( Dashing cold water ), Tetanic spasms.
SUPPLEMENT: BENZINUM NITRICUM. Authorities.
12 , Dr. Mackenzie, Med. Times and Gaz., 1862, p. 239, a boy sucked some through a siphon; 13 , E. Nicholson, Lancet, 1862 (1), p. 135, a student took a soap perfumed with nitrobenzol into a bath; 14 , Alfred S. Taylor, Guy's Hosp. Rep., vol. x, 1864, Mr. Fotherby communicated to me a case, a woman, æt. thirty years, swallowed not more than a drop, and spilled a tablespoonful, and did not immediately wipe it up; 15 , Ein fall von Nitrobenzolvergiftun, Inaug. Diss., Dr. Hermann Pagenstecker, Würzburg, 1867, case of poisoning; 16 , Dr. Swederus, Hygea, 35, 1873, S. J., 170, p. 232; 17 , Ewald, Centralblatt für die Med. Wissenshaften, 1873, Lond. Med. Rec., vol. iii, 1875, p. 75, a young woman, æt. twenty-two years, took about a drachm of commercial bitter almond oil; another, æt. eighteen years, took about 2 1/2 drachms; 18 , Ewald, general symptoms; 19 , Dr. Bruglocher, Ærz. Intell. Blatt, Jan. 5, 1875 (Lond. Med. Rec., vol. iii, p. 74), a soapboiler, æt. forty years, took five or six drachms, with about twenty times its bulk of spirit; he took part at 2 A.M., the rest at 7 P.M.; 20 , Dr. Stephenson, New Remedies, 1876, p. 268, a man, æt. thirty years, for pain in the chest and cough, took of the following prescription, Benzol, rect., 3ij., Ol. Menth. Pip. 3ss., Ol. Olivæ, 3x, three doses of thirty drops (first and second days), one dose at 9 A.M. (third day); 21 , Bruglocher (Bayr. Arzil. Intell. Blatt, 1875), S. J., 168, 128, poisoning by a small quantity; 22 , From the Swedish, S. J., 170, 232, a man took some by mistake for castor oil.
MIND
- Stupor, 18.
- First felt only a little sleepy, finally the stupor increased, and it was impossible to rouse him, and he died twelve hours after, 12.
- Both recovered after about five and twelve hours' insensibility, and a further period of partial coma, 17.
- Soon became unconscious, tossed about, with inarticulate, confused speech, 16.
- Complete loss of consciousness, 15.
- Extreme coma, 18.
HEAD
EYE
- Rolling of eyeballs, 18.
- Constant slow movement of the eyeballs, from left to right, under the closed lids, 15.
- Eyes partly closed, 16.
- Pupils dilated, 15, 18.
- Pupils contracted, 15.
FACE
- Œdema of face, 18.
- Face intensely pale, bluish, 15.
- Face bluish gray, covered with cold sweat, 16. [120.]
- Jaws spasmodically closed, 16.
MOUTH
- Tenacious saliva flowed from the mouth, 16.
STOMACH
- Vomiting, 18.
STOOL
URINARY ORGANS
- Diuresis towards the latter part of the case was greatly increased, 15.
- Urine drawn by the catheter brownish red, 15.
- The first urine passed in case No. I was about 9 ounces, brownish red, slightly turbid, free from albumen, sp. gr. 1020, and smelling strongly of bitter almonds. It held a large quantity of cupric sulphate and potash in solution, but did not reduce the copper [? glycogen, glycocoll, or inosite]. The urine in the second case was twice drawn off by catheter (six and eight hour afterwards), and a third sample passed spontaneously was also examined. The first samples equalled about half a pint together, sp. gr. 1017. The next was similar. The quantity is not stated. It partially reduced, but did not decolorize, Trommer's solution, and failed to show appreciable amount of sugar by the polarizing apparatus, 17.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
- Accelerated respiration, 18.
- Respiration 18 and 22, 17.
- Respiration irregular, scarcely 10 to the minute, 15. [130.]
- Respiration irregular, snoring, 16.
- On every deep inspiration the wings of the nose dilated, the lower lip was somewhat drawn inward, and the epigastrium was much raised; with the respiration there was vesicular pharyngeal stertor, 15.
PULSE
- Rapidity of pulse, 18.
- Pulse 124 and 108, 17.
- Pulse tense, irregular, intermittent, at times slow, sometimes rapid, about 96, 15.
- Pulse weak, regular, 16.
- The pulse became very slow and weak, 16.
GENERALITIES
- The blood taken by cupping was brownish in color, but gave no special spectrum hands, 17.
- Powerful odor of bitter almond, 18.
- There was an intense smell of the poison in the breath, vomit, etc., for three days. Even the urine smelled of it, 17. [140.]
- Violent trembling followed by transient spasms, with drawing of the head backward, and to the left side, 16.
- Convulsions, 18.
- The burning taste in the mouth was immediately followed by a sensation of numbness and tingling in the tongue and lips, and a strange feeling for the next hour. In an hour and three-quarters after the occurrence her aspect was quite typical of prussic acid poisoning; the eyes were bright and glassy; the features pale and ghastly; the lips and nails purple, as if stained by blackberries; the skin was clammy, and the pulse feeble. She was able to swallow a mustard emetic after which she became rapidly worse; lost her consciousness; the teeth became set, the hands clenched and blue, the muscles rigid and convulsed. She vomited freely a pale fluid matter, which had the peculiar odor of nitrobenzole. The breathing became much reduced, and the pulse could scarcely by felt. In about eleven hours there was reaction, consciousness returned, and she was able to swallow. At the end of seventeen hours she was much better; but she then complained of distorted vision, with flashes of light and strange colors before her eyes. For some weeks she continued weak. There is no doubt these severe symptoms were chiefly due on the breathing of the vapor in a concentrated form. A fellow-servant in the room at the time the nitrobenzole was spilled also felt sick from the inhalation of the vapor, 14.
- Loquacity was followed by drowsiness, which was soon merged into complete insensibility. He was found quite unconscious at 7.30 P.M. At 8.30, when brought to the infirmary, all his limbs were paralyzed, as in deep chloroform narcosis; the jaw was clenched tightly, and was opened with great difficulty. The skin was cyanotic; the lips were of a violet-blue. He foamed at the mouth. His breathing was stertorous and superficial. The pulse was scarcely to be felt. The heat's impulse and sounds were extremely weak. The surface was cold. The pupils were moderately dilated, insensible to light. The urine and fæces were passed involuntarily. He smelt strongly of bitter almonds, 19.
- On the afternoon of the second day he was observed to look pale and weak, but he was not conscious of feeling ill until after taking the dose at 9 A.M. on the third day. All the morning he suffered fro headache. He left the office shortly after 2 P.M., but had not walked more than forty yards men he fell. He was just sensible enough to state where his office was situated, but speedily became quite unconscious. When seen at 3.5 P.M. he appeared to be dead. The surface was bluish purple and cold. No pulse could be felt at the wrist. The lower jaw was rigidly closed, but the lower limbs were flaccid and dropped powerless when raised. The heart could, however, be heard beating faintly and irregularly. No breathing could be perceived until twenty minutes later, .
SKIN
- Punctiform ecchymoses, 18. [150.]
- Both patients were cyanotic, like a case of severe emphysema, 17.
- Intensely blue color of the wings of the nose, eyelids, hands, and lips, 16.
- Fingers and toes cyanotic, 15.
- Two large ecchymosed spots, of a livid, bluish-black color, were found beneath the scalp, and on the gluteal muscles; two cuppings of the lower portion of the thorax discharged black thin blood, 15.
FEVER
- Temperature very much depressed, 15.
- Chill came on the second day in the afternoon, with chattering of the teeth, after which the patient became worse, the pulse was more rapid, respiration irregular, and slower and slower till death, 15.
- Rise of temperature, 18.
- Temperature 100.8° and 97.6°, 17.
- Sweatings, 18.
- Whole body covered with cold clammy sweat, 16. [160.]
- Whole body covered with profuse cold sweat, 16.