Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-11-05
Chemistry for Girls.

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/, This is properly styled a u;litarian age,
for the inquiry, stVhat pfofite meets us
every where. lthas evea entered the tenn
piles Ct learning, and attempted to thrust ont
stpdiess because their immediate
With money profit cannot
be demonstrated There is one spot howes-
er, into sliichit has no generally intruded
itself = the last refuge OF the fine arts and
fine foIIies Thither young ladies' are too
frequently sent, merely 10 learn howto dress
taslefully, walk gracefully, play upon the
and siIkea spiders = all pretty, surely, bat
why not inquire 'wLatsprofit:' Sc @oa'ssq.-tqs.
But take my pen. in hand not to utter
a dissertation on female EDUCATION, but TO
insist that young ladies be taught chem stry.
They viii be better qualifedsto- superintend
domestic affairs, guard against mnny aeci-
deats to which households a.e subject, and
pc, haps be instrumental in saving life. We
illustrate the last remark by reference mere
ly to toxieoIogy: s
The strong acids, such as nitric, muriatic,
and sulphuflc, are virulent poisons, yet .fre-
quentlv used in medicine and the mechanical
arts. Suppose child, in his rambles a
.mong tie neighbors, enters a cabinet shop,
and finds a saucer of dquaforfas nitric
acid lupon The work bench, and in his sport
SUDDEN siezes and drinks a portion of it.
He is conveyed home in great agony; the
physician is sent for, but e che arrives, the
child is a corpse. Now, as the mo her pres.
ses the cod clay to her breast and lips for
tire last time, how will her anguish be ag-
gravated to know that in her medicine draw
er was some .ca!cined magnesia, which, il
timely administe ed, would have saved her
lovely child, perchance ller first born and
only boy! O, what are a1lthe boquets and
fine dresses in the world to her, compared
with such knowledge! : ~n--, l..-..s,.
Take another ca Sc: husband returning
home, one summer afternoon, desires some
ac;dulous d.ink. Opening "a cupboard, he
sees small box labeled ''salts Of lemon"
and making solution ef' this, he drinks it
freely. Presently he feels distress, sends fer
his wife and ascerlains that lie has drunk a
sciuti n of oxal.c acid, which she has pro-
cured to take stains from linen The phs-
siciail is sent for, 6utt!Ie uIav ofdable della y
dt hel ID idtai ~ tlle ptil-Clt
The doctor arrives, aud perhaps sees upoi
the We " table on which the weeping wldJW
bows her head, piece OF chalk, which. il
given intime, would certainly have prevent
ed any mischief from the puison. - ..5 -a.
Corrosive sublimate is all article general
ly used b. domestics to destroy The vernin
which sometimes intest our couches. So
luton of it is lelt ON the chamber floor in d
tea cup. when the domestics 30 to dinner,
leaving the children at play-tle infant
crawIs to the tea cup and drinks. Now
what do you think would be the motaer' 5
Joy, if, having studied chemistry. she in
s.antiy called to recollection the well ascer-
tanned fact that there is in the hens nest, an
antidote 10 this poison! She sends for some
eggs, aud breaking them, administers the
whits, (albumen.) Her child RECEIVERS and
she weeps for joy. Talk not to her OF novels
-one little book of naturalscienoe has been
WORTH. to her, mole than all the novels in
the. world. se=z ~. -t.--ss..,.a - s~.-.
Physic ans in the country rarely carry
scales with them to wei gh er prescriptions.
They administer their medicine by guess,
from teaspoon Or the point of a knife.
Suppose a common case: A physician in a
hurry, leaves an over dose OF tartar emetic,
Generally the first prescription in case of
bilious fever,) and pursues his way to see
another patient ten miles distant. The medi-
cine is duly administered and the man is
poisoned. When the case is alarming, one
messenger for the doctor, and another to
call in, tha neighbors to see the suffer.r die.
Now there is in the canister Of your cup
board, and on the tree that grows by the
door, aremedy for this distress and alarm
"a, sure means Of saving the sick man Fl om
threatened death. A strong decoction OF
young hyson 'ea, oak bark, Or any asirigent
vegetable, will change tartar emetic into an
innocent conpnunl. : -