Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-02-18
FROM MBERs' URNAI.
THE POISON EATERS.

bordering on Hungary, there prevails the
strange habit of eating arsenic. The peas
antry in particular are given to it. They
obtain it under the name of hedri from the
travelling hucksters and gatherers OF herbs
who, on their side, get it from the glas
blowers, or purchase it from the cow-doc-
tors, quacks, or mountebanks.
The poison-eaters have a twofold aim IN
their dangerous enjoyment; one of which
is to obtain fresh, healthy appearance, and
acquire certain degree of embonpoini. On
this account, therefore, gay village lads &
lasses employ the dangerous agent, that
they may become more attractive to each
other; and it is really astonishing with what
favorable results their enGeavors are attend
ed, for it is just the youthful polson-eatersS
that are, generally speaking, distinguished
by blooming complexion, and an appear
ance of exuberant health. Out of many ex-
amples select the following:
A farm servant who worked in the cow
house belonging to WAS thin anu pale,
but nevertheless well and healthy. Thls
girl had lover whom she wished to enchain
still more firmly; and in order to obtain
more pleasing exterior she had recourse TO
the well-known means, and swallowed ev-
cry week several doses Of arsenic. The
desired result was obtained; and in lew
months she was much fuller in the figure,
rosy checked, and, in short, quite accord
ing to her lovers taste. In order tom
crease the effect, she was so rash as to IN
crease the dose of arsenic, and fell victim
to her vanity; she was poisoned, and died
an agonizing death.
The number of deaths IN consequence OF
of the immoderate enjoyment of arsenic is
not inconsiderable, especially among the
young. Every priest who has the cure OF
souls in those districts where the abuse pre-
walls could tell of such tragedies; and the
injuries have myselfmade on the subject
have opened out very singular details
Whether it arise from fear Of the law, which
forbids the unauthorized possession Of arse
uic, or whether it be that an inner voice
proclaims to him his sin, the arsenlc-eater
always conceals as much as possible the en-
ployment of these dangerous means. Cen
orally speaking, it is only the confessional
or the deathbed thatraises the veil from the
terrible secret.
The second object the pison-eaters have
in view is 10 make them, as they express It,,
"better winded ''-that is, to make their
respiration easier when ascending the noun
tains. Whenever they have far to go and
TO mount considerable height. they take a
minute morsel of arsenic and allow it grad
ually to dissolve. The effect Is surprising !;
and they ascend with ease heights which
otherwise they could climb only with distress
to the chest.
The dose Of arsenic with which the pois-
on-eaters begin, consists, according to the
confession of some of them, of piece the
size of lentil, which in weight would be
rather less than half grain. To this quan-
tity, which they take fasting several morn
,ngs in the week, they confne themselves
for considerable time; and then gradual
ly, and very carefully, they increase the
dose according to the effect produced. The
peasant R, living in the parish OF
A--g, a strong, hale man of upwards
of sixty, takes at present at every dose a
piece OF about the weight of four grains
For more than forty years he has practlsed
this habit, which he inherited from his faith
er, and which he in his turn will bequeath
to his children.
1t is well 80 observe, that neither in these
nor in other poison-eaters Is there the least
trace of an arsenic cachexy discernabIe !;
that the symptoms of chronic arsenicai
poisoning never show themselves IN lndiWd-
uals who adapt the dose to their constiiu-
ton, even although that dose should be con
siderable. 1t is not less worthy Of remark,
however, that when, either from inability
10 obtain the acid or from any other cause,
the perilous Indulgence is stopped, synp-
toms of illness are sure to appear. which
have the closest resemblance to those pro-
duced ty poisoning from arsenic. These
symptoms consist principally in feeling Of
general discomfort, attended by perfect
indifference to all surrounding persons and
things, great personal anxiety, and various
distressing sensations arising from the d.
gestive organs, want Of appetite, constant
feeling of the stomach being overloaded at
early morning, an unusual degree OF
salivation,a burning from the pylorus to the
h,oat, cramp-like movement in the phar-
ynx, pains in the stomach, s. especially diff
Guilty of breathing, For all these symptoms
there is but one remedy-a return to the
enjoyment of arsenic.
According to inquiries made on the sub
iect, 1t would seem that the habit of eating
poison among the inhabitants ofLoWcr Aus
tria has not grown into passion as IS the
case with the opium-eaters In the East,
the chewers of the betel-nut IN India and
POLYNESIA, and Of the cocoa-tree among the
natives of Peru. When once commenced,
however, it becomes necessity.
In some districts sublimate quicksilver
is used in the same way. One case in par
ticular is mentioned by DR.. Won Tschudi. a
case authenticated by the English ambas-
sador at Constantinople, Of great opium
eater at Blussa, who daily consumed the
enormous quantity of forty grains Of corrc-
sive sublimate with his opium. In the
mountainous parts of Peru the doctor met
very frequently with eaters Of corrosive sub
Innate and in Bolivia the practice is still
more frequent, where this poison is openly
sold in the market to the Indians.
In Vienna the use Of arsenic is of every
Gav occurrence among horse-dealers, and es-
pecialy with the coachman ,pf the nobility
They either shake it in pulverized state
among the corn, or they tie bit the size of
a pea in piece Of linen, which they fasten
to the curb when the horse is harnessed, s.
the saliva of the animal soon tissolves it,
The sleek, round, shining appearance ofthe
carriage horses, ,and especially the much ad-
mircd foaming at the mouth, is the result Of
this arsenic-feeding. tits common practice