The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-06-17

least two feet thick ut the neck, and
gradually increased in size down to the
water. The belly seemed of light col
or, and the back black.
From the St. Louis Democrat.
A CURIOUS CASE OF POL
SONING.
Important Discovery by Dentist
A Young Lady Poisoned by Corro-
sive sublimnte for Seven Years.
A curious case of poisoning has come
to our notice, the circumstances con-
nected with which are given below, and
about the truth of which there can be
no doubt. The case is known to several
of our eminent physicians, and is worthy
the attention of the medical profession
throughout the world. We commend
this case to the notice of the Dental
Association now in session i'll this city,
as one in which the dental art is vitally
interested. The dentistwhose skill and
scientific attaInments enabled him to
make this important discovery, it ap-
pears to us, is entitled to the thanks of
his brother dentists and the world at
large. DR.. Joseph Payne is the man,
and we refer to him for the truth of our
statement and for fuller particulars of
the case.
About three years ago a young lady,
niece of o Main street merchant, applied
to DR.. Payne to have some dental work
performed. She was in very delicate
health, and had been under the care OF
one of our leading physicians for seve-
raj years.
So frail was the fair girl that she
could not submit to the operation OF
having more than one tooth filled at a
time, and then required several days
rest before becoming sufficiently strong
to submit to a repetition Of the process.
For a year or more after this, DR.. Z.
did nothing for her, but learned that
she was still under treatment OF her
family physician, whose skill was COM
pletely batIled by the insidious disease,
that, like worm in the bud, was prey
ing upon her health. About three
months ago the young lady called again
upon DR.. Payne, in company with her
aunt, to have some teeth filled. On
looking into her mouth tie Doctor dis
covered some entirely new symptoms of
q very remarkable character, the most
singular of which was deposite of tar
tar OH the lower teeth of bright or
ange color, as perfectly defined as II
traced by the hand of an artist. DR..
2. remarked to the aunt that if it could
be asccrtained what had produced this
singular phenomenon it would be found
that there was some hidden disease
lurking in the system, and if the nature
of this mysterious disease could be as
certained, the young lady might be re-
stored to health.
At DR.. P.'s request, the attention of
the family physician was called to this
curious discoloratiOn of the teeth, and
he treated it lightly, saying that 1T was
not worthy of the slightest consdera-
tion. But DR.. Payne determined to in
vestgate the matter, and requested that
his efforts should for while be conceal
cd from the physician. He had the tar
ter scraped from the teeth and tested
under the microscope, but with no sat
isfactory result. He then consulted
with DR.. n. Tirrell, professor of chemis-
try in the Homeopathic Medical Col
lege, aud after thorough search
his books, DR.. T. came to the
that the lady was poisoned
by lead. A week was spent in endeav-
oring to find out the channel through
which the lead had found its way into
4 ha l,tf IN
cosmetics, wall paper, the
paintings of the room in which she
slept, the water she had drank-in short
rything was inquired into without
the true cause. Cosmetics
and hair dye she had never used.
Thus weeks were spent, but the mat
ter remained mystery, and the learned
chemist was as much baffied as the 9th
Or physician who had attended upon the
patient. The lady had nearly all the
symptoms of poisoning by lead, it is
true, but she had also many symptoms
Of having been poisoned by corrosive
,ublimate. DR.. Payne then recollected
that many years ago he had written an
article opposing the use of anna gam for
plugging teeth, and detailing the man
ler in which persons could be poisoned
BY the generation Of corrosive sublimate
By the chlorine contained in the fluids
,f the mouth coming in contact with
he mercury or quicksilver forming an
Ingredient of the amalgam plugs, and
hat this poisoning might continue for
IN indefinite number Of years, as long
IS there was any mercury left in the
lungs, and that in this way the consti
tuition might be broken down and the
health gradually fail, until the patient
would die. He recollected that this
ady had some of this amalgam in her
teeth, placed there seven years pre-
He became satisfied now that
,hese plugs were the cause Of all the
and Immediately went to work
IN different direction. On inquiry he |
earned that previous to having two of
Ter teeth plugged with amalgam the
health of the young lady had been ex-
,ellent, but began to fail soon after. She
that she had been troubled
With taste of copper in her mouth "a
Iymptom of corrosive sublimate) ever
Iince the failure Of her health.
DR.. Payne removed these plugs, and
he copper taste Immediately disappear
ID, and has not since returned. The
amily physician was then called, at the
Instance Of DR.. p, and made acquainted
With the facts. He admitted the truth
# the dentists conclusions, and said
hat if DIR. p. had not made the discov-
,ry the patient would have died, and he
would never have known the cause Of
Ter death. He now treated her for pois-
ming by corrosive sublimate, and she
s rapidly recovering, although only ten
laws have elapsed since the poisonous
,lugs were removed.
The two amalgam plugs taken from
he back teeth, weighed less than four
rains. With the assistance of DR.. Z.
!. Franklin, DIR. Payne produced pre-
isely the same orange color that had
ppeared on the teeth of the patient,
y dropping the thousandth part of-a
rain of corrosive sublimate into
mall vial Of lime water-the lime in
he water being the same as the lime
omposiug the tartar on the teeth; thus
demonstrating by chemical laws the
resence of adeadly poison on the teeth