NITRITES, salts produced by the action of nitrous acid on bases. The principal metallic nitrites arc those of potassium, sodium, barium, ammonium, copper, lead, and nickel. The common mode of preparation is to reduce the nitrites by heat. The alco holic nitrites or nitrous ethers are of more practical interest than the metallic salts. Nitrite of amyl is an inflammable liquid having the odor of pears; sp.gr. 0.877; boiling poi at, 190° F. It is formed by the action of nitrous acid upon amylic alcohol. Its inhalation greatly increases the action of the heart, followed by loss of power. If has the power of suspending respiration and producing a condition of trance, which may stop short of death. In experiments upon animals, the appearances after death differ with the mode of administration. When given rapidly the lungs and brain are not congested; left side of heart empty, but right side filled with blood. When given slowly, both sides of the heart contain blood, and the lungs and brain are also congested. For nitrite of ethyl see NITROUS ETHER., ante.
or NIYiac-BENZrnFi is a yellow oily fluid, of specific gravity 1.2. which may be distilled without decomposition, crystallizes in needles at 37', and boils at 315°. It has a sweet taste, is insoluble in water, but dissolves freely in alcohol and ether. Its odor is very similar to that of oil of bitter almonds, which has led to its use in perfumery, under the name of essence of nirbane. It is obtained by isca'ing benzol with warm fuming nitric acid, when 1 equivalent of the is replaced by 1 of l,yponitrie acid, so that the benzol becomes converted into nitro-benzol 04).
[From Supplement.] This substance has recently taken a prowd nent place amongst the narcotic poisons, Under the name of essence of nirbane, it is largely employed as a substitute, in perfumery and confectionery, for oil of bitter almonds, which it closely resembles in smell, and to confectionery it gives the smell. but not the agreeable taste of that oil, It is a pale, lemon-colored liquid, with a pungent. disagreeable taste, and distinguishable by its odor from all other liquids except oil of blttCr almonds,• from diffeis in the following reaction: Pohe a fow drops of each on a. plate, and add a drop of strong sulphuric acid. The oil of almonds acquires a rich crimson color with a yellow border, while the nitro-benzol produces no such color. In 1859 prof. Casper of Berlin published an account of this liquid under the name a " A New Poison," at:41,44eriIiedite ellbets on dogs and rabbits', • Iall4aM. since that (We various cases of human poisoning have been published, both in this country and abroad.
We shall briefly notice three cases, in two of which the patient died after swallowing a portion of the fluid; while in the other the inhalation of the vapor proved fatal. A boy aged 17, while drawing off some nitro-benzol by a siphon, swallowed a portion of the liquid. There were no immediate symptoms; but he soon felt sleepy, and when at din ner ate but little, and said he felt as if lie was drunk. This was between two and three hours after he had swallowed the liquid. He fell into a stupor, which became deeper and deeper, until death took place, without vomiting or convulsions, twelve hours after the ingestion of the poison. In the case of a man aged 43, who spilled a quantity of nitro-beuzol over his clothes, and went about for several hours breathing the vapor, the effects were nearly the same. The progress of each of these cases, both of which are described by Dr. Letheby in the Proceedings of the Royal Society for 1863, was much the same as that of slow intoxication, excepting that the mind was perfecting clear until the coming on of the fatal stupor, which was sudden, as in a fit of apoplexy. From that moment there was no return of consciousness or bodily power; the sufferer lay as in a deep sleep, and died without a struggle. The duration of each case was nearly the same, about four hours intervening between the swallowing or inhaling of the poison and the beginning of stupor or coma, which lasted five hours. Nitro-benzol, as well as aniline, into which it seems to have been partly converted in the body, was detected in the brain and stomach. It is unnecessary to describe the steps to be taken for the detection of the poison in all these cases, no one but a professed toxicologist should be intrusted with an investigation ou the result of which the life and character of a human being may depend. It is satisfactory to read Dr. Taylor's opinion, that " there is no probability that this liquid will be successfully employed for the purposes of murder without the certainty of detection."—Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence, p. 311. It is worthy of notice that the vapor of this substance, as it is evolved from almond glycerine soap, has seriously affected females; and Dr. Taylor mentions the case of a gentleman who, from using a cake of the soap in taking a warm bath, fainted from the effects of the vapor, and was ill for some months afterwards. The mode of treatment that should be adopted in poisoning by this substance is essentially the same as that which should be adopted in poisoning by opium.