Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-08-08
CHEMISTRY FOR GIRLS.
By Z. THoMorsoN N. .,

Something that euery icoman shom
read and remember.
This is properly styled an utilitaria
age, for the inquiry. "whai profit" meet
us every where, il has entered the lem
Piles Of learning. and attempted to thrus
out important studies, because their i'm
mediate connection with hard m07e,s
profits cannot be demonstrated. There
is one spot, however, into which il ha:
SO generally intruded itself--ihe female
academy-the last refuge of lie fine arts
and follics. Thither young ladies are
too frequently sent, merely to learn how
TO dress tastefully. aud walb gracefully
play. write French, and make waxer
plums, and silken spiders--all pretty
but why no, inquire "what profit!'
! take my pen, not 10 utter disserta-
ton on female education, but TO Insist
that young ladies be taught chemistry
They will thereby be better qualified "a
supcrintend domestic affairs, guard a
gainst many accidents, TO which house
holds are subject and perhaps be instru-
mental in saving life. We illustrate the
las, remark BY reference merely to toxi.
cology.
The strong acids, such as nitric, mu-
ratio and sulphuric are virtlent poisons,
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 saucer OF
nguafortis (ui,ric acid) npon the work
bench, and, in his sport, seize and drink
portion Of il. 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
hast time, how will her anguish be aggra-
,ated to know, that in her medicine chest.
- drawer was some calcined magnesia,
-hich ifiimely administered, would have
'afed her lovely, perchance her first and
only boy. o, what are all the boqueis
ard fine dresses in the world 10 her, Gem.
pared TO such knowledge.
Take another case. A husband re.
turning home, on summer afternoon
desires some acidulous drink. Opening
a cupboard, he sees box labelled '.salts
Of lemon and making solution Of this
he drinks il freely. Presently, he feels
indistress, and sends for doctor and as
certains that he has drank a solution oil
oxalic acid, which che has procured tc
take stains from linen. The physician
is sent for but the unavoiding delay at.
tending his arrival. is fatal. When he
arrives, perhaps he sees upon tie very
table upon which The weeping widow
bows her head, piece Of chalk, which
ifgiven in time. would have prevented
any mischief from poison.
Corrosive sublimatc is the article gen.
orally used 70 destroy The yernin which
sometimes infect our couches. A solu-
ton il Of is laid npon The floor in tea
cup,when The domestic goes down TO dine,
leaving the children Up stairs 10 play, the
infant crawls to the tea-cup, and drinks.
Now, what think you, would be the
mothers joyif having studied chemistry.
she Instantly called 10 recollection the
well ascertained fact, thai there is hens
nest an an;idoie TO this poison. She
sends for some eggs, and breaking them,
administers the whites; her child recoy-
ers, and'she weeps for joy. Talk to her
Of novels one little book; Of natural sci-
ence has been worth TO her more than all
the noyels in the world.
Physicians inthe country rarely carry
scales with them to weigh their prescrip-
lions. They administer medicines by
guess. from a teaspoon or the point of a
knife. Suppose common case. A
physician in u hurry. leaves an over
dose Of tartar-emeiic. (generally the frs,
prescription in case Of bilious fever.) and
pursues his way 70 another patient, ten
miles distant. The medicine is duly ad-
ministered, and the man is poisoned
When the case becomes alarming, one
messenger is despatched for The doctor,
and another to call in the neighbors to
see the sufferer die. Now there is in .