Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-09-19
BIZ F.. THOMPSON, II D.

meets Us everywhere. 1t has entered the
temples of learning. and attempted 70
thrust out important studies because their
Immediate connection with hard money
profits cannot be demonstrated. There
is one spot. however. into which it has no.
50 generally in,ruded itself-.he female
academv-,he last refuge of the fine arts
and fine folles. Thi,her young ladies' are
too frequently sent. merely to learn how
to dress tastcfuly and walk gracefully.
play. write French. and make waxen
pluines and silken spider-all pretty. but
wnv not inquire what proht!'
| take my pen. not to utter disserta-
ton on female educ alton. but 10 insist that
young ladies be taught chemistry. They
Will thereby be better qualified 10 superin-
tend domestic affairs, guard against many
accidents to which households are subject.
and perhaps be instrumental in saving life.
We illustrate the last remark by reference
merely to toxicologv.
The strong acids. such as nitric, muri-
attic and suIphuric. are virulent posons.
yet frequently used in medicine. and the
mechanic arts Suppose a child. in his
rambles among the neighborS, should en-
ter cabinet shop, and find a saucer of
aqHcforHs (nitric acid) upon the work
bench, and. in his sport. seize and drink a
portion Of it. He is conveyed home in
great agony. The physician is sent for:
but ere he arrives. the child is a corpse.
Now as the mother presses the cold clay
to her breast and lips for the last time.
how will her anguish be aggravated to
know thati in her medicine chest. or drawer
was some calcined magnesia. which. f
timely administered. would have saved her
lovely, perchance only. boy. o. what are
all the boquets and fine dresses in the
world to her. compared 10 such knowledge!
Take another case \ husband return
ing home. on Il summer afternoon. desires
some acidulous drink Opening a cup
board. he sees a small box. labelled salts
of lemon and making a solution of this.
he drinks it freely. Presently. he feels
distress. sends for his wife, and ascertains
that he has drank a solution Of oxalic acid,
which she has procured to take stains from
. linen. The physician is sent for; but the
unavoidable delay attending his arrival
is fatal. When he arrives perhaps he sees
upon the very table on which the weeping
widow bows her head, piece Of chalk,
which, if given in time, would have GER
tainly prevented any mischief from the
poison.
/
orally used to destroy the verlnin which
sometimes infeSts our couches. 4 solu-
ton of it is laid upon the floor in tea
cup. when the dones.ics 90 down to dine.
leaving the children up stairs to play; the
infant crawls to the tea cup, and drinks
Now what think you would be the mothers
Joy. if having studied chemistry. she in
stantlv called to recollection the well as
/ TON oI f,c+ hat bo, =
nest an antidote to this poison. She sends
for some eggs, and breaking them. admin
listers the whites. Her child RECEIVERS. and
she weeps forjoy. Talk to her of novels
4 ono little book Of natural science has
been worth to her more than all the novels
in the world.
Physicians in the country rarely carry
scales with them to weigh their prescrip-
tons. They administer medicines by
guess. from teaspoon or the point Of
knife. Suppose common case. A ply
stefan in hurry leaves an over dose of
tartar-emetic. GENERALLY the first prescrip-
ton in cases of bilious fever) and pur-
sues his way to another patient, ten miles
distant. The medicine is duly admins
tered. and the man is poisoned. When
, the case becomes alarming. one messen-
ger is dispatched for the doctor, and an
other to call in the neighbors to see the
sufferer die. Now there is, in a canister
in the cupboard, and on a tree that grows
. by the door remeA for this distress and
alarm-a sure means of saving the sick
. man from threatened death.-A strong
detection of young hyson tea. oak bark.
: or another astrngent vegetable, will
change tartar emetic into harmless com
pound.
: Vessels Of copper often give rise to
| poisoning. Though this metal undergoes
E but little change in dry atmosphere, il is
, rusted if moisture be present. and its sur
: face becomes covered with a green sub
stance-carbonate or the proxlde of cop
, per a poisonous compound. 1t has some
; times happened. that mother has. for
: want of knowledge. poisoned her family.
Sour-krout. when permitted to stand for
] some time in a copper vessel produces
: death in few hours.-Cooks sometimes
permit pickles to remain in copper vessels.
{ that they NAV acquire rich green color
which they do by absorbing poison.
, Families have often been thrown into
{ disease By eating such daintes. and many
have died in some instances without sus-
| pecting the cause. That lady has GER
, tainlv some reason to congratulate herself
upon her education. if under such cir
4 cumstances. she knows that pickles rem
: dercd green BY verdigris. and that the
> white OF an egg is an antidote.
r illustrations might be multiplied. but
' our space forbids Enough has been
/ shown. we hope. to convince the utillitar-
: ian that a knowledge of chemistry is an
| important element in the education Of the
: female sex: that without il they are imper-
> fectly qualified for the duties involving
upon them in the domestic relation. and
properly prepared to meet its emergen-
cleS.
| The Springfield H.. Journal furnishes a
90 al 81 Ct the InfnrnaI Lon