It often contains undecomposed
carbonate of potassium, which may act as a corrosive poison and cause
erosion of the mucous membranes of the lips, mouth, and stomach.
=Oil of Bitter Almonds=, used as a flavouring agent, may contain (when
improperly prepared) from 5 to 15 per cent. of the anhydrous acid.
_Symptoms._--The symptoms usually come on in a few seconds, and are of
the shortest possible duration. There is a sudden gasp for breath,
possibly a loud cry, and the patient drops down dead. If the fatal
termination is prolonged for a few minutes, the symptoms are intense
giddiness, pallor of the skin, dilatation of the pupils, laboured and
irregular breathing, small and frequent pulse, followed by
insensibility. There may be convulsions or tetanic spasms, with
evacuation of urine and faeces. Death results from paralysis of the
central nervous system, but artificial respiration is useless, as the
drug promptly arrests the heart's action. It also kills the protoplasm
of the red blood-corpuscles, rendering them useless as oxygen-carriers.
_Post-Mortem Appearances._--Skin livid, pale, or violet, with bright red
patches on the dependent parts.
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