Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-07-04
Are Paper Collars Poisonous?

The question at the head of this article is one Of
great interest and importance. Invented almost by
accident, and at first worn only by young men in
arrears with their washerwomen paper collars have
now become popular institution, both in this
country and in Europe. Ladies have adopted them
and comparatively few gentlemen now prefer the
more expensive but substantial linen. Thousands
of persons, therefore are deeply anxious in regard
TO the recent rumor that these collars poisonous.
Manufacturers, who announce every style of collar
and cuff in paper may be ruined if their wares are
proved to be detrimental to the health of the wear
ers But in such matter as this it would be erimi-
nal TO conceal the facts.
A Boston paper states that a clerk in a wholesale
store in that city recently afflicted with pain
tul eruption about the neck Thinking that it was
merely boil he paid little attention to it at first
but as the pain grew more intense, he was induced
TO consult physician, who declared that his pa
tent was suffering from the effects of poison alb
sorbed into the system from paper collars. The
physician also remarked that he had been consult ed
in numerous similar cases, and upon careful inqu-
ry 1t was ascertaned that halfa dozen of the young
clerks companions, all of whom wore paper collars
were constantly troubled with the same eruptions.
But, without attempting to argue from these Ca
ses, let us look at the general facts in regard to pa
per collars. In order to initiate linen as nearly as
possible these collars enamelled and in this pro-
cess arsenic is used. Everybody knows that the
enamel upon visiting -cards is poisonous. Children
have died from being allowed to play with such
cards 1t will be remem bered that the first impor-
tatfon of swans for the Central Park were poisoned
by some careless and thoughtless person who threw
pieces of cardboard into the lake for the swans to
eat. One would suppose that knowledge of facts
like these would long since have reused the sus pi-
cions of the public as to the danger from paper co
lars prepared in the same way as cardboard; but
the majority of people did not reflect upon the sub
ject at ALL fell into the of believing that the
enamel was only poisonous when eaten.
Is easi1v suscnOtibla Of nroOf hOyyever that
senic is very deloterious no matter how it may be
absorbed into the system. When taken directly into
the stomach it may be more Immediately fatal; but
when it enters through the pores of the skin and in
fect the blood its operations hardly less deadly
although they may be slower The very name of
the arsenic, derived from the Greek, announces its
power Of destroying men. The workmen who pre-
pare it obliged to dress in costume and helmet
Of leather the eyes protected by glasses and the
trs by wet sponge; and in spite of these precau-
tions and carefully regulated diet they only aver
age thirty years Of life.
Instances are on record of persons who have
died from sleeping in covered with arsenical
paper, and the green wallpaper, once so much in
use is now almost completely discarded, because of
the arsenic employed in its manufacture Here is
poison, then, which is equally dangerous whether
eaten inhaled or absorbed and which is vet used to
enamel the collars to be worn around the neck. 1t
thus enters the system through the pores, reaches
the blood directly when the skin is frayed and, be-
ing rendered volatile by the heat of the body, is
also inhaled at every breath. Could anything be
more dangerous, more perncious?
But although we are compelled to answer the
question, Are paper collar spoisonous? in the affirm
alive, some persons may object that they have
these collars a long time without perceiv-
ing any evil effects. This may be true, and yet
effects may exist. The eruptions which afflicted the
Boston clerk, the protests of nature against the
poison which he was absorbing. In all strong con-
situations nature make such protests and utter
such warnings against further indulgence. But in
the weak, the poison may be left to do its deadly
work without any outward signs of danger. We
recall the case of an invalid American at Paris who
was accustomed to smoke new clay pipe every
day.
These pipes were whitened with arsenic as the
paper collars are, and the poison was released by
the burning tobacco just it is released from the
paper collars by the heat of the body. The smoker
slowly but steadily declined, and not until after his
decease did the physicians discover they had cured
his original malady, and that he died of arsenical
poison Many men and all the ladies who wear pa
per collars are liable to the gradual poisoning
That they have no eruptions upon the neck is only
proof of their greater peril; for it shows that the
system is so corrupted weakened to take in the
arsenic without that natural healthy resistance,
which produces sores or boils. On the other hand,
however, it is quite possible that ladies may be dis
figured for life by unsghtly blotches arising from
the use of these collars and cuffs. AS they are at
BEST only a sham and a substitute for linen and
muslin, and as great expense is involved in the
purchase Of the only materials Of which collars can
be safely made, we hope that the wearing of poi
sonous paper collars will be discontinued, and we
urge all physicians especially the Board of Health,
to instruct the public in regard to this important
subject.