Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-12-03
POIsoN-ARSENIC.

- P0ISONS-ARSENIC. ....
The incidents of the revenge Of The
Jealous French women, who sent q
nosegay to her successful rival. know
ing that she was psssionately devoted
to flowers, has been made the catas.
trophe of an interesting drama. The
boquet was impregnated with a ubtle
poison, and when the aroma OF the
flowers rhs inhaled, the lovely victim
drew in with the agreeable odor the
furtive and volatile poison. which too
sure executed its errand.>
There are many articles too often
deemed innocuous. that are more or
less impregnated with poison, and are
in the same degree deleterious. The
following extract from letter OF
"Spiridion" to the Boston Evening
Gazette, will be read with interest. and
may be read with profit. The writer
says:
"The scientific world has been pur-
suing, with great attention, the delete
rious effects of arsenic, which has
been extensively introduced into orna-
ments Of late years, and whose use is
constantly extending with what scien-
ti6c men deem fearful progress-as
well as they may, when they consider
the effects Of this poison. 1t goes far
to confirm the possibility Of those
strange tales Of Italian skill 10 poison
ing with which medieval chronicles
abound: death-not immediate, but
slow death. apparently TO be traced TO
natural causes whereby the murderer's
guilt escaped detection-desth by a
perfumed glove or nosegay. We
can construct bed-chamber, lovely as
Sultans ever dreamed, and whose very
loveliness shall be the channel through
which death flows. We can make
shawls beautiful beyond natures sum-
mer tints whose every wave in the
rapid dance shall disseminate death:
who would suspect beauty for deaths
Hebe? We can make gauzes lighter
than the gossamer--the virgins thread
which floats in autumn's placid at
mosphere, and yet be covered with
death-giving powder. We can make
nosegays which are fatal to life,
whether worn on the bonnet or placed
in the bed.cbamber. We not only
can, we do make all these death dealing
objects. The ALof green, now so fash
ionable 10 shawls and ball dresses, the
green, to be found in every
oil shop, the Scheel's emerald and the
emerald green are all but so many diff
ferent aliases Of this powerful poison.
1t seems to have wonderful affinity for
mans food. and almost appears TO be
moved towards it as if some phantom
Morquise de Brinvilliers was pushing it
with her shadowy hand to work new
mischief. The green paper wrapped
around chocolate, the green paper
which gives such dainty air to the
box of dried fruit. the green paper
which makes such pretty tickets. the
green color which enables confec-
tionery to look so bright, the green
leaves, and grapes and fruit in ladies'
bonnets. the green paper used in hang
ing rooms, all contain, are all in great
part, made Of this dreadful poison
The beauty Of the color should be, like
the beauty Of the tigers spots and the
serpent's marks. warning Of danger
and OF death. 1t is fearful to think
what mouotains of this poison are an
nuslly manufacturedj 400 tons are
made In Paris, 200 tons in other places
in France. 500 tons are made in
Shweinfurt (Franconia, and between
600 and 700 tons in England. 1t is
formed Of six parts Of arsenious acid,
two parts Of oxide Of copper and one
part Of acetic acid. Its deleterious
effects appear in the mandatory
where it is made. The men who
make it suffer from boils. pimples,
itching; but as the manufacture is car
ried on in the open air (speedy death
would ensue were it made under
cover. the evil seems to rest with these
disorders Of the skin. Every medical
man knows that of sll maladies, skin
diseases are the most obstinate to cure. |
When this impalpable powder is used
under cover, as for instance, in manu-
factories Of ornamental paper, the skin
first gets red, then cracks. feels as if it
we're burnt, sores appear on the bend
of the arm, or on the face, or on the |
back Of the neck-these sores are run
ming sores-the face sometimes SO
swells that the cheeks rise to the level
of the nose, and the whole face smarts.
iutolersbiy. the nose bleeds, there are