ANILINE POISONING. The use of the anilines, and particularly of the new synthetic drugs derived from this product, has become so universal that many instances of poisoning, both acute and chronic, are observed. In acute ani line poisoning the chief effects are on the blood. It prevents the oxidation of haemoglobin in the red blood-cells, forms methemoglobin, causes the destruction of red blood-cells (hwmolysis) and thus results in death. The chief symptoms are headache, vertigo, weakness and stumbling walk, blue color of defective blood oxidation (cyanosis), disturbances of respiration, increase of urine, which is frequently colored reddish to dark brown from the broken-down blood cells, depression of temperature, chills, dilated pupils and death from asphyxia. The fatal dose is about 1% drams. In non-fatal cases recovery may be much protracted. Treatment consists in withdrawal of all of the poison, washing the stomach, fresh air, artificial respiration and in fusion of normal salt solution. The aniline
derivations mostly used are acetanilid (anti febrin), phenacetin, exalgen, lactophenin, metha cetin, malakin, phenocoll, citrophen, apolysin, cosaprin, malarin, etc. Several aniline dyes are also used in medicine, of which the principal are methylene blue as a urinary antiseptic, scarlet red as an ointment on granulating surfaces, fluorscein, eosin and fuchsin. These dyes are also used to give an agreeable color to medi cines, but they always have the same general effect. Chronic aniline poisoning, found chiefly among workers in color factories, is of much the same character, but the symptoms develop slowly. There are skin symptoms, urinary changes and various nervous attacks, with head ache, tremors, changes in sensation, anwsthesia, etc. The treatment should involve the ventila tion of the factories, thus getting rid of the color-dust floating in the moisture of the rooms.