The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-06-11
USING PoIsoNs ON PLANTS.

The scientific and other papers are discuss
ing the subject of the danger attending the use
OF Paris green and other pOisons in DESTROY
ing insects on plants. The matter is one of
great importance, and is deserving ofthe care
full attention of all cultiyators who are tenn
pied to resort to desperate remedies for para.
sitcpests. The Scientific american says: THE
question of whether the use of Paris green
(arseniate or aceto-arseniate of copper upon
potato plants as means of destroying the
bugs, will tend to poison the soil, and thus
render it unfit to produce vegetation, re-
celycs definite answer from Professor lie
Conte, in his paper recently read before the
Academy of Sciences. The opinion advan-
ccd and concurred in by such high authority
as Professor Siliman and Alexander and Mr..
Mitchell, a1lirms uncquivocally that arsenic
and copper are poisons which act with equal
energy upon plants and animals. 1t is mere
~ matter OF time, il the poison is used at
repeated periods before the soil is poisoned
so as to prevent the growth of all ycgeta-
ton.
Professor lie Conte enters an earnest pro-
test against the present loose yet enormous
use OF this fearful poison in the hands of UNI
educated men. 1t is ordered by the western
druggists literally by the ton, and repeated
deaths have resulted among farmers through
persons in single dwelling in this CITY from
eating pickles upon which some Paris green
had been blown by The wind occurred quite
recently. 1t is well settled that arsenic is
dangerous even externally, and experiments
have proved that its poisonous effects are
developed by smaller amount inserted in a
wound than when taken into the stomach. :"
In The J0nrnst Of Applied CHEMISTRY for
September, 1874, is II case from DR.. Dore
mus. deaths from Paris green" SAYS the
J0HIndI are becoming quite too numerous
ana frequent. Three persons who partook
OF lemonade and chow chow pickle ut No.
II west Fiity-scvcnth street, New York, on
the 18th Of July, were soon after taken ill.
and on the 2lst, one of them, named John
Powers, died. His sister died the next day,
ana Ellen Burke, the cook died ON the 24th.
| Portions of the stomach and intestincs of
each were sent to DR.. Doremus for ANALYSIS,
and in cach-casc he detected the presence of
arsenic and copper; he was therefore of the
opinion that death was caused bv arsenitc
OF copper, commonly known as Paris green.
In reply to question by the coroner rs to
now much Paris green would cause death,
ne SAID that very small quantity would be
sufficient. y Juror asked him whether he
thought grain would kill man. He said
he did, and that he would recommend the
jury to warn the public against its use. Pro-
tessor Doremus also said that he would take
that opportunity to earnestly request that
the members Of the press who were present
would impress upon the public the extreme
danger of using so violent poison AS an
instance of the danger of using Paris green
in any way about dwellings, he cited the
case OF the poisoning of the whole family of
nm eminent physician in London by single
| loaf Of bread, which the baker had placed,
while warm, on II shelf that had been pain.
ted with Paris green. If Il single grain of
this poison (Ihc 4S0th part Of am ounce is
sufficient 10 cause death, it will he seen that
II very little OF the dus, received into the
system from time to time is fraught with
| the most fearful danger to health and life"