Impress your friends with you fireworks vomitus. A use for matches your mother never told you about.

Medical Times And Gazette, A Journal Of Medical Science,
Literature ...
By J&A Churchill
March 22, 1886

Case Of Poisoning By Phosphorus Paste.
(Under the care of Dr. Cockle.)
[Notes by Joseph POLLARD, M.R.C.S., L.S.A., M.A. Cantab.,
Junior Medical Officer.]

Isabella S., aged eighteen, by occupation a laundress, was
brought to the out-patient department of the hospital by her
sister on January 12, who stated that several days
previously her sister (either accidentally or, as there was
some reason to suspect, intentionally) had taken phosphorus
paste in some hot broth, and had since become very ill.

Present Condition.—Patient is a fairly nourished, developed
girl; looks sallow and as if in pain. She states that
n January 8 she partook of some broth in which was placed
some phosphorus paste spread on bread. After taking the
broth she became very thirsty, and experienced a burning
sensation in the stomach and chest, and a peculiar taste in
the mouth. The food was taken at about 8.30 p.m. At
midnight she felt sick, but did not vomit until 4 p.m. on the
9th last. The vomit was dark green. She partook of milk, tea,
and beef-tea before admission to the hospital. On the
morning of the 9th she complained of headache, giddiness,
burning in the fauces and mouth, and at the pit of the
stomach; and during that afternoon was Bick. The vomit on
being thrown away at night exhibited phosphorescence to
her sister, who remarked on the " fireworks." A rash came
out on the face, specially at the angles of the mouth,
appearing as red spots with darker centres. On the 12th it
appeared as small erythematous puncta at the roots of the
hair, on the forehead, and at the angles of the mouth.
Symptoms were unaltered, and on the 12th she sought
admission. She was then collapsed and jaundiced. Pulse 80,
feeble; temperature 98 2° Fahr. Complains of severe pains
in the chest and epigastrium, with general tenderness of the
abdowen. Extreme thirst, anorexia, free perspiration,
conjunctiva! yellow, tongue furred and of strawberry
appearance. Heart and lung sounds healthy. Liver dulness
increased; painful on pressure. Slight cough ; throat
congested, mucous membrane reddened and thickened.

Treatment.— Mucilaginous drinks and magnesia. Diet —
beef-tea, eggs, and brandy. Fomentation to abdomen.
13th.—Diarrhoea; stools green and some dark streaks;
condition unaltered; pulse slow, feeble, 80; temperature
99.4°; no retention of urine; trace of albumen. Evening:
Pulse 140, feeble; temperature 99 4°. Pain increased and
more general. Brought up by vomiting coffee-grounds-like
matter, and bile mixed with mucus. Slight delirium.

At about 4 a.m. on the 14th sudden collapse occurred,
and the patient speedily sank after vomiting some blood.
Autopsy, thirty-six hours after Death—Body of a pale young
female. Skin of face and body of dusky colour ; posterior
part of trunk, legs, and arms covered with confluent purpuric
patches. Minute haemorrhages in mesocolon and in
peritoneum covering the posterior part of the abdomen; a
few also in the mesentery and walls of small intestine, all of
small size. Peritoneal cavity contains about half a pint of ale-
coloured fluid. But a very small portion of left lobe of liver,
about the size of a half-crown, is visible below the ribs. Liver
fairly firm, has a reddish colour, speckled with yellow; on
section looks remarkably fatty. Under the microscope the
cells were seen to be completely fatty and broken down.


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Colonies And British Possessions; Colonial Reports (Annual);
Basutoland To Wei-Hai-Wei.
Report For 1901-1902.

Medical Transactions For The Year 1902, Of The Port
Edward Civil Hospital And Dispensary, Wei-Hai-Wei.
Annual Report Of The Acting Colonial Surgeon.
Medical Transactions.

Poisons.

The natural proclivity of the Chinese for committing suicide
on the slightest provocation is well known. Of 15 cases
of poisoning that came under notice, 13 were cases of
suicide; of these, 10 were cases of phosphorus poisoning.

This is now the favourite method in use, being readily and so
cheaply obtainable by the poorest. They buy small boxes of
cheap matches made in Japan, and removing the heads,
mix them up in a little water or tea and drink off the potion.
Often, those living near the Port tell their relatives shortly
after the deed, and if they call the Surgeon their lives are
saved, but in other cases, especially if living some distance
off, they do not send word for a day or two afterwards, in
which case a fatal result is the rule. Death in these cases
usually occurs in about a week.
.