The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-07-07
Are Paper Collars Poisonous2

The question at the head Of this article is
one Of great interest and importance. In
vented almast BIZ accident, and at first worn
only by young men IN arrears with their
washer-women, paper collars have now be-
come a popular Institution, both IN this coun-
try 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 are poisonous. Manufac-
turers, who announce every style Of collar
and cuff in paper, may be ruined if their
wares are proven to be detrimental to the
health Of the wearers. But in such man
ner "a this it would be criminal to conceal
the facts
A Boston paper states that a clerk In a
wholesale store in that city was recently af-
aicted with painful eruption about the neck
Thinking that it was merely a boil be paid
little attention to 1t at frst; but as the pain
grew more intense, he was induced TO con-
suit q physician, who declared that his pa
tient was suffering from the effects Of poison
absorbed into the system from paper collars.
The physician also remarked that he had
been consulted in numerous similar cases,
and upon careful inquiry, 1t was ascertained
that half a dozen of the young clerks com
panions, all Of whom wore paper collars
were constantly troubled with the same erup-
tons
But, without attempting to argue from
these cases, let US look at the general facts
in regard to paper collars. In order to imi-
tate linen as nearly as possible these collars
are enamelled, and in this process 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 remembered that the
first importation Of swans for the Central
Park were poisoned by some careless and
thoughtless persons who threw pieces of
card board into the lake for the swans to eat.
One would suppose that knowledge OF facts
like these would long since have reused the
suspicious Of the public rs to the danger
from paper collars prepared in the same way
as cardboard; but the Ia jority Of people
did not reflect upon the subject at ali, or fell
into the error Of believing that the enamel
was only poisonous when eaten.
1t Is easily susceptible of proof, however,
that arsenic is very dcleterious 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
teFs through the pores Of the skin and IN
fccts the blood its operations are hardly less
deadly, although they may be slower. The
/ very name Of tue arsenic, derived from the
/ Greek, announces its power of destroying
men, The workmen who prepare it are OBJ
/ liged to dress IN a costume and helmet of
/ leather the eyes protected by glasses and
/ the nostrils by q wet sponge; and in spite of
! these precautions and a carefully regulated
diet they only average thirty years of life
! Instances are on record Of persons who
| have died from sleeping in rooms covered
/ with arsenical paper, and the green wall-pa-
/ per, once 50 much IN use, Is now almost COM
/ pletely discarded because of the arsenic en-
! ployed in its manufacture. Here is a poison.
! then, which is equally dangerous whether
1 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 frayed, and being rendered
volatile by the heat Of the body, IS also in
| hailed at every breath. Could anything be
more dangerous, more perniciOus.
But although we are compelled to answer
/ the question. Are paper collars poisonous ?
/ in the affirmative, some persons may object
/ that they have worn these collars a long time
without perceiving any evil effects. This
may be true, and yet effects may exist The
eruptions which afflicted the Boston clerk,
I were the protests of nature against the poison
which he was absorbing. In all strong CON
stitutions, nature can make such protests
/ utter such warnings against further indul-
gence But In the weak, the poison may be
/ left to do its deadly work without any out
ward signs Of danger