The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-05-30
TIRE PUBLIC HEALTH. =.
By NATHAN ALLEN.

The increasing attention to health, both
oy individuals and public bodies, is 4
strong indication Of IN advancing civiliza-
ZION. In the prevention Of disease, and
Inc preservation Of life, it involves not on
y the interests Of individuals, but the
welfare Of neighborhoods and commune
Ties. Thus in district or state vhe,e the
welfare Of tho public can be promoted by
legislation, the subject Of health is begin
ming to attract more and more attention.
In the State Of Massachusetts, for more
than thirty years, tho subject has been
brought in variety Of ways before its
Legislature, and various laws have been
enacted having relations directly or indi-
rectly to public welfare in this respect,
but it WAS not till 1869 that definite action
Vas taken in organizing estate Beard Of
Health.''
This Board consists Of seven persons,
appointed by the Governor and Council
six OF whom are paid only their expenses,
but the seventh-a highly educated phyei-
c'an-is paid a regular salary, and dsvstes
his whole time to this work. By the STAT
ute, this Board is charged with tho duty Of
making ''ssnitsry Investigations and in
qulries In respect to the people, the causes
Of disease, and especially Of epidemics and
the sources Of mortality, and the effects Of
localities, employments, conditions and
circumstances on the public hexlth and
are also instructed to examine into and re-
port what, in their judgment, is the effect
Of the use Of intoxicating liquor, as .
beverage. upon the industry, prosperity,
happiness, health and lives Of the citizens
of the State" The third report Of this
Board has just been presented to the pub
lie, and is made up mostly of some ton
papers from different individuals, all bear
ing directly upon the health Of the COM
munity. Several of the topics discussed
possess general interest, and We propose to
notice in them few Of the more salient
and practical POINTS.
The taper upon '.Arsenic in certsip green
colors," is valuable contribution to Hy-
gene. Arsenic is deadly poison in the
smallest doses, though used for medical
purposes, but with great caution. It con-
stitutes IN two forms most valuable m
gredient in producing green colors, and il
used for this purpose in several wsys.-
Que Is the manufacture Of green fowers,-
initiating the verdure Of nature,-in green
leaves, grass, &c. Many cases are related
where parties engaged in the manufacture
Of these flowers have suffered terribly from
the poisonous effects Of arsenic upon their
systems; sometimes by Inflammation of tho
stomach and bowels, sure eyes, great ner-
vous debility and prostration, with local
irritation Of the skin, &c, Similar effects
have often been witnessed in persons wear
ing or handling these flowers. Then there
is the light fabric called tarlatine, used for
fashionable dresses, having . remarkably
rich green color, and containing great
amount of arsenic A sample obtained At
store in Boston, being analysed, was
found to contain 8.2l grains to each square
foot. A dress of ordinary dimensions
would thus hold between three and tour
ounces of pure arsenic! In handling and
wearing such fabrics, more or less of
poisonous effect must be communicated.
But there Is another more common and
destructive way in which this green poison
ls communicated that is, in s'confec-
TONERS ornaments and childrens' toys"
Cases are constantly occurring in the COM
mun1ty where infants and children are
thus poisoned, resulting not urfrequently
fatally. There is still another way in
which this poison exerts most deleterious
inaucnce-that is, in paper hangings.-
The rich and greatly diversified shades Of
green colors have become, within few
years, very fashionable for paper hsngings.
In this report many instances Of sickness
and at first, some very obscure cases.
are Traced directly to exposure of poison
from new green paper upon the walls of q
room. The article upon the effects on
Health Of the use Of ewing machines, is
the most thorough discussion upon this
snbject that has yet appeared. A very
general impression has prevailed in the
community that the use of this machine,
especially if long continued, was injurious.
in certain respects, to female health
Statements of this character ave gone the
rounds Of the newspapers, but there is
good evidence to believe that there were
extreme cases, exceptions to the general
rule.