Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-09-01
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From the Philadelphia Press.
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For example, it is taken by the peasants in Syria,
the Tyrol, and the Salz Kammergut principally
by huntsmen and wooi-cutte-s, to improve their
wind and prevent fatigue.
In Ranking and RadcliGo's Half yearly Alb
stract Of Medical Sciences just published by
Lindsay and Blaki,ton, there is a curious paper
upon the Arsenic Eaters Of Syria, an abstract Of
which may interest more than the medical profess
SIGN. The author is Mr.. neisch. lecturer on
Chemistry in the MidIlesex Hospital, L,ndon.
who had derived his Information from medical
gentlemen locally attached to Syria, in Austria,
and from several nOr-medical friends also on the
spot. There was some difficulty in getting hold Of
individual cases, because it was Illegal in Syria,
to obtain arsenic without q doctors certificate, and
purchaser and vendor would endeavor to conceal
the fact for their own sake. But there is no doubt
that arsenic is eaten in largo quantities in Syria.
Mr.. Heisch's informan enters infinitely in a
description of the moduS operdadi, if we may so
speak. lie eays-'The arsenic is taken pure in
some warm liquid, as coffee, fasting, beginning
with a bit the size of q pins head, and increasing
to that Of a pea. The complexion and general
sppeaia nce are much improved, and the parties
using it seldom look so old as they really are, but
he has never heard of any case in which it was
used to improve personal beauty, though he can
not say that il is never so used. The frst dose is
always followed by very slight symptoms Of pos-
oning, such as burning pain in tho stomach and
sickness, but not very severe. Once begun it can
only be left off by gradually diminishing the daily
dose, as a sudden cessation causes sickness, burn
ing pains in the stomach, and other syn ptoms Of
poisoning, very speedily followed by death. As q
rule, arsenic eaters arc very long lived, and are
peculiarly exempt from infectious diseases, fevers,
&C.; but unless they gradually give up the practice
invariably die suddenly at last. In some arsenic
works near S~alzburg, the only men who can stand
the work for any time are those who swallow daily
doses of arsenic, the fumes, &C., soon killing the
Others
1t is worth noticing here that arsenic is some
times used in H~poplectic congestions, on account
Of its power of largely reducing the number of
red glubules in the tlood-excess of which glot-
ules is always observed where there is a tendency
to congestion of the brain. But DR.. PIquot Of
HonAeur, who strongly urges the exhibition oil
arsenic in such cases, advises it not to be used 10
weakly old subjects, whose strength it might
diminish by lessening the number of the red glo-
bules. In Styrin, it will be seen, tho arsenic-eat-
ers arc long-lived.
The director of the arsenic works near S~alzburg,
himself an arsenic-eater, gives the following sketch
of his own experience:
AT seventeen years Of age, while studying as
saying l had much to do with arsenic, and was
advised by my teacher, M. Ronsch. professor of
chemistry and minerOlogy at Eislebenr to begin
the habit of arsenic eating, l quote the precise
words be addressed to me. IF you wish to con-
Sinue the study OF a~ssaying, and become hereafter
superintendent: of a factory, moro especially of an
arsenic factory, in which position there are so few,
and which is abandoned by so many, and to pre-
serve yourself from the fumes which injure the
lungs Of most, if not all, and to continue to enjoy
your customary health and spirits, and to attain a
t~o!erably advanced age, l advise you. nay, it is alb
solutely necessary, that besides strictly abstaining
from spirituous liquors, you should learn to take
arsenic ; but do not forget when you have attain
ed the age of fifty years gradually to decrease
your dose, till from the dose to which you have be-
come accustomed, you return to that with which
you began or even less. / have made trial of my
pfeceptor's prcscri ption till now, the f~orty-ffth
year of my age. The dose with which 1 began,
and that which l take at present, l enclose they
are taken once a day, early, in any warm liquid,
g. h as coffee. but not in any spirituous liquors.
The doses sent were No. l, original dose, three
grains No. 2, present dose, twenty'threo grains
of pure white arsenic in coarse powder About
an hour after taking my first dose, II took the
same quantity daily for three %mOnths,) there fol
lowed slight perspiraion, with gripping pains in
the bowels, and, after three or four hours, a loose
evacuation; this was followed by a keen appetite,
and q feeling of excitement. With the exception
of tho pain, the same symptoms follow every
increase Of the dose. subjoin as a caution that
it is not advisable to begin arsenic eating before
the age Of twelve or after thirty years. Evil con-
sequences only epsue from n long continued inter
%ruption. Circumstances often oblige me to leave
it off Tor two or three days, and / feel only slight
lauguor, and loss OF appetite, and resume taking
the arsenic IN somewhat smaller doses. On two
occasions, at the earnest solicitations Of my friends,
L attempted entirely to leave of the arsenic. The
second time was in January, 1855. l was induced
to try it a second time from a belief tina. my first
illness might have arisen from some other cause.
On the third Gay Of the second week after leaving
off the dose | was attacked with faintness, depres'
sion Of spirits, mental weakness, and a total loss
of the little appetite l still had; sleep also entirely
deserted me. On the fourth day I had very vio-
lent palpitation of the heart, accompanied by pro-
fuse 2erspiration. inflammation of the lungs fol-
lowed, and l was laid up for nine weeks, the same
as on the first occasion of leaving of the arsenic.
Had not been blsd, l should most likely have
died of n~poplexy. AS a restorative l resumed the
arsenic eating in smaller doses, and with a firm
determination never again 10 DO seduced into leav-
ing il of, except as originally directed by my pre-
ceptor. The results on both occasions we're pre-
cisely the same, and death would have certainly
eDsued, had | net resumed arsenic.oating.'
Here it may be noted that two or three grains o.
pure arsenic are generally a fatal dose. Yet here
a lad of seventeen commenced with three grains
1t is stated in the Neg american Cgc'op@dia tina
arsenic is sometimes administered to horses, t
increase their shirt ard improve their coat. 1t il