The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-11-30
Arsenic in Wall Paper.

it has been generally supposed that
papers entirely green, and of a very
bright shade Of green, were arscni-
cal ; but the fact Is, as proved by the
the analysis of eminent chemists,
that every paper which contains any
green in the pattern, no matter how
little, or Of what shade, az a general
rule contains arsenic, and is, there
fore, injurious to health. One SHADE
Of green is no safer than another, for
the very palcst green frequently con-
tain large quantities of arscnitc OF
copper, the brilIient color of which
is toned down to any degree Of pale
ness by the addition OF chalk, and
sometimes Of white lead the result
being that pale green papers often
contain lust rs much arsenic MS those
of brighter color. The quantities OF
arsenic used in green papers appear
almost unlimited, varying from the
fractional part OF a grain up TO the
frightMl amounts of six, nine, four
teen grains and upwards TO the square
foot. have beside ne some pale
Green papers, the analysis OF which
give these amounts, aud the illness
produced by those papers proved in
some cases all but fatal. ! have also
by me 4 paper with green leaves on
n white ground, containing no less
than eight grains to the square foot,
which caused most serious illness,
"Whcn the atmosphere Of dwell
lings all over the kingdom, in town
and country, is thus more or less
poisoned with arsenic, the most vol
atilc and the most subtle Of all pois-
ons, need we be surpri'Gd ut the in
crcasing prevalence Of various forms
OF disease? investigation Of this
subject is earnestly called for. !
cannot but regard it as a matter Of
great national importance, affecting
masses Of our population physically
mentally, and morally, 10 an extent
little conceived of at present. There
appears good reason for believing
that n We y large amount Of sickness
and mortality among all classes il
attributable to this cause, and that il
may probably account for many Of
tie mysterious disease Of the pres
cnt day, which 50 continually battle
all medical skill.
"Ayscnic being exceedingly vol9-
tile, its effects by Inhalation, both o!
gaseous cminAtions from the papers,
and Of the fine impaIpablo dust
thrown of ut all temperatures, are
highly dangerous, producing symp-
toms both chronic and acute, whicA
stimulate various forms Of disease.
| say s~tiHtUi0te, because | have seen
cases where the symptoms Of va
riOuS diseases were produced by the
irritation Of the entire mucous mem
branC, and consequently Of the whole
system, resulting from the oCCupa-
ton Of rooms with arScnical wall.
papers and on the removal Of those
papers the symptoms gradually sub
sided, thus prOyidg that they were
,hc result OF the irritation, and not
of organic disease. But it would
seem not Improbable that prolonged
exposure to the same poisonous in
nucnce may in time py0dncc those
diseases which are at first only slim
uIatcd,
~"IIaving witnessed the effects OF
slow poisoning by arscnical papers
in my own family and houschold
daring u number Of years, and ha7-
inc suffered severely myself from The
same cause, sneak from personal
experience. During a period Of
twelve years we were rarely free
| from Hines ia somc form or other.
No fewer lhou twelve uhy.iciane,
several Of cmincncc, were consulted
in london and elsewhere. Whcy nj
agreed ng to thr diseased conditions