Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-11-10
CHEMISTRY FOR GIRLS OR ANY PERSON

81 =. TIL DNlt~'lN. VI H.
Something HIt eceTy IDOHun sh0Uid Bcad.-
This is properly styled utllitarian age, for the in
qury, 9 w hat profit - meets every where. 1t
has entered the temples Of learning and attempted
to thrust out important studies because their imme-
date connection with hard money profits cannot be
demonstrated. There is one spot, however, into
which it has not so generally intruded itself
the female academy-the last refuge OF fine arts
and fine fol!ies. Thither young ladies are too fire.
quently sent, merely learn how dress tastefulIv
and walk gracefully, play, write French and make
plumes and silk spiders-all pretty, but wig
not inquire g what profit -
take my pen, not to utter dissertation fe-
male education, but to insist that young ladies be
taught chemistry. They will thereby be better
qualified to superntend domestic Affairs, guard against
many accidents to which households subject, and
perhaps be instrumental in saving life. We Illus
trate the last remark by reference merely to ioXi-
cology.
The strong acids, such as nitric, muriatic and
sulphuric, viruent ppsons, yet frequently used
in medicine; and the mechanic arts. Suppose
child, in his rambes among the ncighbors, should
enter a cabinet shop and find saucer of aqua t0rts
mitrlc acid) upon the work bench, and in his sport
seize and drink portion of it. lie is conveyed
home in great agony. The Physician is sent for;
but ere he arrives the child is corpse. Now the
mother presses the cold clay to her breast and lips
for the last time, how will her anguish be aggravated
to know that in her medicine chest drawer was
some calcined hagnesia, which il timely administer
ed would have saved her lovely, perchancc her Only
boy. o. what are all the bouquets and fine dresses
in the world to her compared with such knowledge
Take another husband returning home.
summer afternoon, desires acidulous drink
Opening a cupboard, he small box, labelled
g salts of lemon" and making solution of this, h
drinks it freely Presently he feels distress, sends
for his wife, and ascertans that he has drank solu-
ton 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
certainly prevented any mischief from the poison.
Corrosive sublnate is the article generally used
to destroy the vermin which sometimes infest our
couches solution of it is laid upon the floor in a
tea-cup when the domestics go down to dine, leav-
ing 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 chem
istry, she instantly called to recollection the we'll
ascertained fact there in the hens nest antdote
to this poison. She sends for some eggs, and break
ing them, administers the whites. Her child
covers, she weeps for joy Talk to her of novels
one little book OF natural science has been worth to
her more than all the novels in the world.